SHIMLA: Ahead of the World Cup matches at Dharamshala cricket stadium, “Khalistan” graffiti in the hill town has put the police and security agencies on high alert. Some unidentified persons wrote “Khalistan Zindabad” on a wall near the IPH circle office in Dharamshala on Tuesday night.
Police have identified two suspects from CCTV footage around the spot and registered an FIR on Wednesday under Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Open Place (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act-1985 and Section 3 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act 1984 at local police station.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, DGP Sanjay Kundu said CCTV footage has shown that the suspects clicked photographs of the slogan and cellphone analysis is also being conducted. He said a video is being circulated in social media wherein a voice message, reportedly by outlawed SFJ‘s general counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, claims to be targeting the final match of the ongoing One Day International World Cup-2023.
There is a mention of “Himachal Pradesh Banega Khalistan” and pro-Khalistan graffiti and flags in Dharamshala to avenge the killing of “Nijjar” in Canada in the video, he added.
A joint intelligence sharing meeting was also held in Dharamshala with officers from Military Intelligence, IB and CID units for coordination and swift intelligence sharing during the upcoming World Cup matches.
The DGP said that in view of the present incident, five additional patrolling teams and local intelligence units have been activated in Dharamshala and McLeodganj areas. Intensified vigil and surveillance shall be maintained throughout the district. All possible efforts are being made to nab the culprits in the matter and investigate the case, he added.
Kangra SP Shalini Agnihotri has constituted a seven-member special investigation team (SIT), headed by inspector Surinder Thakur, SHO of Dharamshala police station, for the investigation.
Agnihotri said that keeping in view of security issues and gravity of the offence, an SIT has been constituted with immediate effect.
This is the second time that Khalistan graffiti has been found in Dharamshala. On May 8 last year, banners and graffiti of Khalistan were found on the outer boundary of legislative assembly near Dharamshala, after which a case was registered under sections 153-A, 153-B of IPC and Section 3 of Himachal Pradesh Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985 in Dharamshala.
During the course of investigation, a module of 247 people indulging in anti-India propaganda was unearthed. Of these 247, 188 are in India while 59 are living abroad. Police had filed the charge sheet in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Dharamshala on July 8 last year after the completion of investigation against two residents of Punjab.