NIA team travels to the UK in Indian High Commission attack probe

The team will meet officials of Scotland Yard and Metropolitan Police in London this week to gather details on the suspects and evidence on the attack.

New Delhi: A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team is travelling to the UK in connection with its probe into the violent demonstration and attempt to vandalize the Indian high commission in London by pro-Khalistan protestors on March 19, people familiar with the development said .

The agency took over the probe from Delhi police after the ministry of home affairs (MHA) met with UK home office representatives in April. (File photo for representation)

The team will meet officials of Scotland Yard and Metropolitan Police in London this week to gather details on the suspects and evidence on the attack, the people added, asking not to be named.

As reported by HT last month, NIA is investigating a larger conspiracy by Pakistan-backed UK-based pro-Khalistan leaders including Avtar Singh Khanda, who is also the alleged handler of Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, for leading the protestors to the high commission. Khanda, associated with Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), and two others, - Gurcharan Singh and Jasvir Singh , are named as key suspects in the first information report (FIR)

Pro-Khalistan protestors pulled down the national flag and attempted to vandalize the Indian high commission in London on March 19, an incident to which British police didn’t react in time.

HT reported on April 19 that the agency is looking at Pakistan’s role in the conspiracy and planned to send a team to London. Pakistan’s spy agency Inter Services Agency has often figured in cases probed by the NIA linked to pro-Khalistan extremists.