Khalistan supporters on Monday gathered outside the Indian High Commission in London staging protest amid heavy presence of British security forces, reported ANI. The protesters waved anti-India placards and chanted slogans amid strong Scotland Yard presence and were restricted to the opposite side of the High Commission. The protest took place just days after Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doriaswamy was allegedly prevented from entering a Gurudwara in Scotland.
"Sikhs will raise domestic issues including the suspicious death of activist Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda,” reads the call for Monday’s protest, which was promoted by British Sikh groups on social media.
The High Commission said in an official statement the incident occurred when three individuals from areas outside Scotland deliberately disrupted a planned interaction organised by the Gurudwara Committee.
The gathering was organised with an intention to bring together the community, the High Commissioner, and the Consul General of India. Senior community leaders, women, committee members, and a member of the Scottish Parliament were scheduled to participate in the event.
"They were threatened and abused by these elements. In an effort to prevent any potential altercation, the HC and CG decided to leave the premises shortly upon their arrival," the statement informed.
It also noted that one of the non-local extremist elements even attempted to violently force open the High Commissioner's car door and a quick reaction from one of the organisers who physically intervened at the car door prevented a more serious incident.
The incident comes in the wake of diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani sympathiser, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He was killed on June 18 this year outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blamed India for his killing on Canadian soil.