A case was registered over a ‘I love Pakistan’ message found on a ship being built at the Cochin shipyard

The Ernakulam South city police on Saturday (June 20, 2026) registered a case over the finding of a message reading “I love Pakistan” engraved inside a vessel under construction at the Cochin Shipyard here. The case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by Central Industrial Security officials at the shipyard.

The First Information Report (FIR) was registered under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which punishes “acts threatening the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India”.

An alleged pro-Pakistan message was found etched on the wall of a service vessel built for a British shipping company, according to the FIR. The message was found sometime between February 25, 2026 and June 10, 2026, the FIR said.

The police registered the case after a preliminary investigation during which the statements of more than 150 employees of the shipyard were recorded, the police officer said. “Staff who may have access to the ship have been interviewed and we are gathering all possible scientific evidence,” the officer added.

The shipyard has not yet commented on the matter.

Published – 20 Jun 2026 20:56 IST