London High Commission case to be probed by NIA

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has take-over the London High Commission violence case.

Based on the inputs received by the Delhi Police and Ministry of Home Affairs, the NIA was directed to probe the matter. The probe was handed over after the Special Cell of the Delhi police registered a case on the incident that took place on March 23. The case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by an official of the London High Commission.

In the incident, two officials of the Indian High Commission in London sustained injuries during violence by radical Sikh elements.

In its FIR, the Delhi police named Sikh extremists Avtar Singh and Gurcharan Singh as the prime suspects. The FIR says that 60 separatists were led by Avtar Singh. Both the accused were recognised by the London high Commission official as taking part in the violence and also dishonouring the Indian Flag. It was both these persons who instigated the mob to vandalise the High Commission, the FIR said.

India has been repeatedly nudging the United Kingdom to act against these elements, who have run amok on its soil. The Modi government has asked for visible action to be taken against these persons, but the UK government has been repeatedly trying to dismiss the dishonouring of the National Flag by Sikh extremists as part of their right to protest and freedom of speech.

The issue has been the same in case of Canada also. India shares uncomfortable diplomatic ties with Canada over the Khalistan issue. India has repeatedly asked Canada to to reign in on these extremists, but no action has come by.

There has been a sustained ISI sponsored campaign to rake up the Khalistan movement. It had even brought down Amritpal Singh from Dubai to head the Waris Punjab De, a group that was started by Deep Sidhu who recently died in an accident. Amritpal's supporters had caused havoc at the Ajnala police station in Punjab demanding the release of their aide. Since then, the Punjab police launched a manhunt for him and he has been missing since.