Cochin shipyard security breach: Police investigate pro-Pakistan slogans found on UK ship

KOCHI: The Ernakulam South Police have launched a comprehensive investigation after provocative, pro-Pakistan graffiti was discovered aboard a British commercial vessel currently under construction at the Cochin Shipyard.

The words "I Love Pakistan" were found scrawled in an undisclosed section of the ship, which is being built for the UK-based North Star Shipping Company. Construction on the vessel commenced in 2025, and investigators suspect the vandalism occurred sometime between February 25 and June 10 of this year.

Following a formal complaint by the shipyard management, local police registered a case under stringent legal provisions that address acts threatening the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India. The incident was first reported by the Kerala Kaumudi daily, tracking the initial response of security agencies. Shipyard authorities reportedly noticed the graffiti roughly two weeks ago, delaying a formal police report until they completed a thorough internal audit and briefed central intelligence agencies.

Detectives have already interrogated and recorded statements from nearly 200 individuals, including permanent shipyard staff, engineers, and contract labourers who had access to the hull during the timeframe in question.

Identifying the perpetrator presents a significant hurdle for law enforcement due to a critical security blind spot, as the specific area of the vessel where the graffiti was discovered lacks CCTV camera coverage. Consequently, investigators are relying on circumstantial leads, carefully cross-referencing daily biometric entry logs and shift rosters from the past four months.

The probe is currently narrowing its focus onto personnel and contract workers deployed specifically for internal piping and structural assembly in that zone. Because the breach involves a premier shipbuilding facility tasked with high-profile projects, authorities are withholding further details to protect the integrity of the ongoing operation.