- Friday, April 26, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
The police in Delhi on Friday (24) registered a case in connection with the protest staged by pro-Khalistan supporters at the Indian high commission building in London on Sunday (19). The protesters committed an act of vandalism and also pulled down the Indian national flag, triggering a massive outrage and reaction in both India and the UK.
The police registered the case under appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
The move was made after India’s home ministry asked the city police to take appropriate legal action.
The pro-Khalistan protest took place after police in the northern Indian state of Punjab launched a manhunt for separatist leader Amritpal Singh. The protesters also carried posters bearing Singh’s photograph and saying, ‘FreeAmritpalSingh, WeWantJustice, WeStandWithAmritpalSingh’.
Videos that went viral on social media platforms showed a man scaling the walls of the mission to bring down the Tricolour to the chants of ‘Khalistan Zindabad’.
The commission responded by displaying a gigantic Indian flag. A similar flag was shown when a fresh protest was staged on Wednesday (22) by pro-Khalistan agitators at the commission but it was controlled by a big contingent of police officers.
India lodged a strong protest with the British deputy high commissioner in India and accused the host nation of not providing security to the diplomatic premises and personnel. The Delhi Police allegedly removed barricades from outside the British commission in New Delhi in an apparent tit-for-tat move.
Security was tightened at the Indian commission in London soon after.
