On March 19, pro-Khalistan protesters pulled down the Tricolour and attempted to vandalise the Indian high commission in London

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is trying to ascertain if there is any Pakistan link to the violent demonstration by pro-Khalistan protesters outside the Indian high commission in London last month, as part of its probe into a larger conspiracy, according to officials aware of the matter.

NIA took over the probe from Delhi Police last week after the ministry of home affairs held a meeting with UK home office representatives.

While probing multiple cases linked to pro-Khalistan extremists in the last two years, the agency had found a strong association between Pakistan’s spy agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and pro-Khalistan leaders operating from various countries such as the UK, Germany, Australia, the US and Canada.

In the case pertaining to the agitation outside the Indian high commission in London last month, the role of UK-based Khalistan leaders, including Avtar Singh Khanda, suspected handler of radical preacher and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, in allegedly leading the protesters to the high commission will be in focus, the officials cited above said.

Khanda, associated with Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), and two others – Gurcharan Singh and Jasvir Singh – have been named as key suspects in the first information report (FIR) taken up by NIA from Delhi Police’s Special Cell filed four days after the protests last month.

NIA took over the probe from Delhi Police last week after the ministry of home affairs (MHA) held a meeting with UK home office representatives. It is expected to send a team to London to investigate the matter.

“Whenever the team visits London, NIA will share with the UK its probe findings on the involvement of Khalistan extremists in anti-India activities and their links with Pakistan-based handlers/leaders,” an official said, seeking anonymity.

On March 19, pro-Khalistan protestors pulled down the Tricolour and attempted to vandalise the Indian high commission in London over the crackdown by law enforcement agencies against pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal and his aides in Punjab. Videos of the incident showed several protesters carrying the yellow and black Khalistan flag and calling for Amritpal, who is wanted by Punjab Police for various offences, to be “freed”. The videos showed one of the protesters clambering on to a balcony and pulling down the Indian flag from a pole at the front of the high commission to cheers from the other men.

As the British policemen arrived at the scene and prevented the protestors from approaching an entrance of the high commission, the crowd chanted slogans and hurled abuses at Indian officials within, the videos showed.

Intelligence agencies earlier said that pro-Khalistan leaders such as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who has been declared an “individual terrorist” under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), has organised demonstrations and on-ground campaigns outside Indian high commissions in the UK, the US, Canada, Germany and other countries in the past.

UK based leader of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Paramjit Singh Pamma, is also known for organising protests outside Indian establishments there.

Last week, Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla had flagged the issue of misuse of UK’s asylum policy by such elements with Sir Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Secretary, Home Office, while asking British authorities to monitor their activities.