UK national chargesheeted for high commission stir

NEW DELHI: NIA on Thursday chargesheeted an Indian-origin UK national for allegedly playing a key role in last year's violent protests at Indian High Commission in London.

The protests were organised to express solidarity with the chief of pro-Khalistan outfit Waaris Punjab De, Amritpal Singh, after Punjab cops launched a manhunt against him.

Inderpal Singh Gaba, a UK national residing in Hounslow and originally from New Delhi, was one of the agitators who had actively participated in the anti-India protest on March 22, 2023 in front of the Indian high commission "as part of the Khalistani secessionist agenda", NIA said, quoting chargesheet.

Objects were hurled, anti-India slogans shouted, and Khalistani flags raised by agitators during the protest, which incidentally followed barely three days after pro-Khalistan protestors had tried to storm Indian embassy and pulled down the tricolour hoisted there.

Gaba was arrested by NIA on April 25 though he was detained earlier on Dec 23, 2023, by Indian immigration authorities at Attari border.