Vandalism by pro-Khalistan protesters: UK government vows to take Indian mission security seriously

Officials from the mission said the “attempted but failed” attack had been foiled and that the tricolour was now flying “grander”. An arrest was also made in the case.

The Metropolitan Police said two members of security staff sustained minor injuries which did not require hospital treatment. An investigation has been launched.

“Windows were broken at the High Commission building,” the police statement said. “Officers attended the location. The majority of those present had dispersed prior to the arrival of police. An investigation was launched, and one male was arrested nearby a short time later on suspicion of violent disorder. Enquiries continue,” the statement added.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called the incident “utterly shocking” and a “major insult”. “The real problem is not inside the High Commission but on the premises outside which is the responsibility of the local authorities, in this case the British Authorities, to protect. If the British Police are completely derelict in their duty and they allow this nonsense to happen, this is a major insult that we can’t tolerate,” Tharoor was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Responding to the incident, London’s mayor Sadiq Khan said he condemned “the violent disorder and vandalism that took place”. “There is no place in our city for this kind of behaviour,” he tweeted.

The British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis described the incident as “disgraceful” and “totally unacceptable”.

India lodged a strong protest against the incident on Sunday and summoned “senior-most” UK diplomat, Deputy High Commissioner Christina Scott.

“India finds unacceptable the indifference of the UK Government to the security of Indian diplomatic premises and personnel in the UK,” the MEA said, adding, “It is expected that the UK Government would take immediate steps to identify, arrest and prosecute each one of those involved in today’s incident, and put in place stringent measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents”.

(With PTI inputs)

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