Daily Times

NEW DELHI: Police on Friday arrested Hindu Sena chief Vishnu Gupta in connection with Thursday’s ransacking of a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) office in New Delhi, Times of India reported.

Gupta, who heads Hindu Sena – a group of Hindu extremists – claimed responsibility for the vandalism at PIA’s office and vented anger at Pakistan, holding it responsible for the siege at the Pathankot air base as well as at the attack on the Indian consulate in the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif recently. “Gupta has been arrested under Sections 120B (being party to a criminal conspiracy), 147 (rioting), 149 (being the member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 427 (mischief causing damage to property) and 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) of IPC,” the police was quoted as saying.

“The police are still looking for the other Hindu Sena members who were involved in the vandalism,” DCP (New Delhi) Jatin Narwal said. “Through this act, the members of our Delhi unit have expressed their anger and sent a message to Pakistan that they should respect our sentiments and keep in mind that we are not weak,” Gupta had said in a statement after the incident. Members of his group on Thursday vandalised the PIA office near Barakhamba Road in New Delhi, following which one person was arrested.

The Indian Express said four activists of the Hindu Sena went to all the three rooms in the office, vandalising furniture and computers. They also scattered some pamphlets while they dismantled a miniature replica of an aeroplane installed near the reception desk. A member of Hindu Sena, identified as Lalit Singh, was arrested on Thursday following the attack and efforts were underway to nab his associates. Gupta was earlier arrested in October last year, days after he called up the police alleging that beef was being served at Kerala house canteen.

The Hindu extremists had broke windows and computers at the PIA office. A PIA spokesman told Radio Pakistan that the staff is safe. The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had contacted the Indian government and has asked for a probe into the incident and sufficient security for PIA offices. A PIA statement has said that the national carrier’s operations will continue until instructions are received from the government. Flight operations will not be suspended nor will the staff be called back, it said. PIA has two town offices in India, the other one is located in Mumbai.