A comment posted on Kolkata Metro’s Facebook page on Tuesday defended the assault on a couple by fellow commuters on the metro, apparently for hugging each other. The comment, which has now been deleted, said the incident was the result of “year-long vulgarity shown by a section of the younger generation”.

On Tuesday, the authorities at Kolkata Metro said they were investigating an incident of moral policing and assault after photographs on social media showed a woman trying to shield a man as a group of commuters attack them with raised fists. However, the authorities said no one had filed a complaint about the incident yet.

“We are trying to get to the bottom of this and please understand that Metro Railway is against moral policing,” the metro authorities’ social media post read.

However, in the comments section on Facebook, a post from the metro officials purportedly said: “What wrong has been done by the passengers. Nothing. It is the inevitable fallout of year-long vulgarity shown by a section of young generation. In Metro train, most of the young generation people do not know decency and good manner. To speak in English does not mean civilisation. Good qualities are totally lacking in young generation people and morality a distant dream. In their attitude, arrogance and don’t care gesture are very evident. Not only in the Metro, but also in other places similar incident will happen if the young generation does not get themselves rectified.”

Kolkata Metro authorities are yet to comment on the post. Screenshots of the comment were shared widely on social media on Wednesday.

Can you please explain without enquiry how a government body can issue such statement officially in fb? pic.twitter.com/5yXzS8nW3I — Subhradip (@Subhradip13) May 1, 2018

Protests were held outside Dum Dum Metro station, where the incident took place, demanding the arrest of the people responsible. On Wednesday, many people offered “free hugs” outside the metro station as a mark of protest.