Delhi Metro Police on Saturday arrested a person in connection with an act of defacement at the Mandi House Metro Station.
According to the Delhi Police, the arrest followed a graffiti incident on January 23, 2025, around 10:00 PM, when CCTV footage captured an individual using a black sketch pen to write, “PM EARTHWORMS ARE BETTER THAN YOU POPA” on a metro station wall.
A case was registered under the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property (DPDP) Act and Section 73 of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Act. The Delhi Metro Police immediately launched an investigation, reviewing CCTV footage from the area.
The investigation identified the suspect as Rajiv Kumar Singh, a resident of Village Yourajpur, Gazipur, Uttar Pradesh, who was subsequently arrested.
During questioning, Singh admitted to the act and stated that he had attended a painting exhibition at Lalit Kala Academy near Mandi House earlier that evening. After meeting friends, Singh reached the Mandi House bus stand around 9:45 PM and then proceeded to deface the metro station wall with the graffiti.
Police reported that Singh explained he was inspired by a poem about earthworms he had read earlier that day. He also revealed that “POPA” was his signature, which he had previously used to draw on road pillars and other public spaces.
Singh is a Fine Arts graduate from Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi, and currently works as a teacher in Wazirabad, Delhi. Following the investigation, Section 351 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was also added to the charges against him.
