Indian Consulate In San Francisco Set On Fire, Second Attack In 5 Months

A group of Khalistan radicals set Indian Consulate on fire in San Francisco on July 2, specifically between 1:30 and 2:30 am. This is the second attack on the consulate by Khalistan supporters in a span of five months.

But it was quickly doused by the San Francisco fire department and no major damages were caused or staffers were harmed, according to reports.

Diya TV, a local channel, released a video in connection with the incident. However, OneIndia could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

The US Department of State has strongly condemned the act of violence and attempted arson by pro-Khalistan supporters at the Indian consulate in San Francisco on Sunday.

"The U.S. strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the U.S. is a criminal offense," Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US State Department tweeted.

In March, a group of pro-Khalistan protesters attacked and damaged the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, prompting sharp condemnation from Indian-Americans who demanded immediate action against those responsible for it.

Raising pro-Khalistan slogans, the protesters broke open the makeshift security barriers raised by the city police and installed two so-called Khalistani flags inside the Consulate premises. Two consulate personnel soon removed these flags.

Soon after, a group of angry protesters entered the consulate premises and started hitting the door and windows with the iron rods.

Community leader Ajay Bhutoria strongly condemned the attack by pro-Khalistan protesters on the Consulate of India building in San Francisco. "This act of violence is not only a threat to the diplomatic relations between the United States and India but also an attack on the peace and harmony of our community," he said.