New Delhi, India – The National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced the arrest of a key suspect linked to the violent attacks on the Indian high commission in London in March last year. This arrest marks a significant development in the case, as it is the first one made by the federal agency regarding the incidents that occurred on March 19 and 22, 2023.
Inderpal Singh Gaba, a resident of Hounslow, UK, was apprehended in Delhi for his alleged involvement in the attacks, especially the one on March 22, where a group of over 2,000 pro-Khalistan supporters vandalized the high commission building and defaced it with various items, including ink. The violence also resulted in the removal of the Indian flag and injuries to embassy staff during the March 19 attack.
According to NIA statements, the protests were orchestrated by Avtar Singh Khanda, a UK-based Sikh radical and leader of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF). This group targeted the high commission in response to the actions taken by Punjab police against Amritpal Singh, the chief of Waris Punjab De, on March 18. Singh is currently incarcerated in a secure prison in Assam.
NIA spokespersons emphasized the importance of Gaba’s arrest in connection with the unlawful activities carried out during the March 22 protests, part of a larger scheme to launch violent assaults on Indian missions and officials. Investigations revealed that the attacks were retaliatory measures against Punjab police’s actions on pro-Khalistani separatists.
To gather evidence, an NIA team visited London in May 2023 with the assistance of the Metropolitan police. Furthermore, the release of CCTV footage identified about 45 suspects involved in the March 19 attack. Look-out circulars have been issued for approximately a dozen individuals linked to the assaults, with more suspects expected to be identified through Gaba’s interrogation.
The agency’s probe delves into a broader conspiracy involving Pakistan-backed pro-Khalistan elements in the UK orchestrating the attack. The NIA took over the investigation from the Delhi Police following discussions between officials from the Home Affairs Ministry and their UK counterparts regarding security concerns and the radicalization of Sikh youth in the UK.