Pro-Pakistan slogans and derogatory remarks targeting Kannadigas were found written on the walls of a restroom at a prominent factory in Karnataka’s Ramanagara district.
The offensive graffiti, which included phrases like “Victory to Pakistan” and abusive language aimed at Kannadigas, was first discovered by workers at the Toyota Boshoku factory in Bidadi. The incident sparked anger among the employees, who voiced their concerns. However, the company’s initial response was merely a warning notice rather than taking swift and stringent action.
The situation intensified when the matter was reported to the police, leading to an investigation into the incident. Following a complaint lodged by the company’s Human Resources (HR) department, the Bidadi police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against unknown individuals. Law enforcement officials visited the site and initiated an investigation to identify those behind the offensive graffiti.
The Bidadi police employed several investigative methods, including handwriting analysis, CCTV footage review, and linguistic style assessment, to trace the perpetrators. As a result, they successfully identified and arrested two individuals in connection with the incident.
The accused, Haimad Hussain and Sadiq, both from North Karnataka, were contract employees at the factory for the past year. Authorities believe the two were responsible for scrawling the pro-Pakistan slogans and derogatory remarks found in the restroom. Over 800 employees were also questioned during the investigation.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Srinivas Gowda confirmed that a case has been filed under Section 67 of the Information Technology (IT) Act, which penalizes the publication or transmission of obscene material, along with Section 193 (liability of landowners or occupiers for failing to prevent or report unlawful assemblies or riots on their property) and 356 (defamation) of the Bharat Nyay Sanhita.
Gowda also confirmed the arrests and stated that the investigation is ongoing. “Some provocative and objectionable content was found written on a toilet wall in a private company in Bidadi. After conducting the investigation, we have arrested two individuals. We are also working to identify others involved in spreading this content and have issued police notices accordingly,” he said.
