Amritsar police detained two men for allegedly writing “Punjab is not India” graffiti at multiple locations ahead of US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor’s scheduled visit to the city, prompting heightened security and a detailed traffic management plan along his itinerary.
Amritsar Commissioner of Police Harmanbir Singh Gill said late Saturday evening that the two men, both in their twenties, were allegedly working for US-designated Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. According to Gill, preliminary investigation indicated that each suspect had allegedly been paid Rs 5,000 to write the graffiti.
The police action came before Gor’s planned visit to Amritsar on September 28. According to the report, the ambassador is expected to visit the Golden Temple, the Partition Museum and Jallianwala Bagh before returning to Delhi by Monday evening. Security arrangements have been stepped up at locations included in the itinerary.
The graffiti was reported at different locations in the city. Earlier on Saturday, Pannun claimed in a media release that slogans had been painted at Amritsar railway station, Hall Gate and Bhandari Bridge. His statement referred to the activity as being carried out by “pro-Khalistan Sikhs”.
The police allegations against the detained men and the claims in Pannun’s release remain attributed to the respective sources. The report does not provide details of charges filed, the legal sections invoked, or whether the two men have been formally arrested.
The ambassador’s itinerary places security teams across a mix of sensitive public, heritage and transport-linked sites. The Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh are major visitor destinations, while Amritsar railway station and the road network around Hall Gate and Bhandari Bridge are important parts of the city’s movement system. Any security cordon or route restriction in these areas could affect local traffic and access during the visit.
Police sources said security would be increased at all locations on the itinerary. A detailed traffic management plan is also being prepared, although the report does not specify the roads to be restricted, the duration of any diversions or whether public access to the listed sites will change.
The immediate next steps are the police investigation into the graffiti case, the implementation of the security plan and traffic arrangements for the ambassador’s scheduled September 28 visit.
