Scotland Police have reported that they found ‘no criminality’ in the incident that occurred at a gurdwara in Glasgow involving Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami. The incident had sparked diplomatic tensions between India and the UK.
On September 29, Vikram Doraiswami, the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, was denied entry and heckled at a gurdwara located in the Albert Drive area of Glasgow. The incident prompted India to report the matter to the British government, seeking strict action against those responsible.
A spokesperson for Scotland Police stated, “Following extensive enquiries into a report of a disturbance in the Albert Drive area of Glasgow on Friday, 29 September 2023, no criminality has been established,” as reported by India Today.
The incident had involved pro-Khalistan Sikh activists who denied entry to the Indian High Commissioner, allegedly in response to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and Sikh separatist leader, in Canada. Nijjar was killed by masked gunmen in Surrey in June.
In response to the incident, Glasgow Gurdwara Guru Granth Sahib Sikh Sabha, where Doraiswami was denied entry, released a statement condemning the disruptive behavior. The statement mentioned that certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area had attempted to disrupt the visit, leading the visiting party to leave the premises.
The statement further read, “After the departure of the visitors, these unruly individuals continued to disturb the gurdwara congregation. Police Scotland was in attendance thereafter and have taken cognizance of the matter.”
It concluded by emphasizing that the gurdwara welcomed people from all communities and backgrounds as per its principles of faith.
The Indian High Commission had reported that three individuals from areas outside Scotland had disrupted the planned interaction with the Gurudwara Committee. One of these individuals had allegedly attempted to violently force open the High Commissioner’s car door, but a quick reaction from one of the organizers prevented a more significant incident.
The incident had garnered attention from various quarters, including Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the UK Foreign Office minister for Indo-Pacific, who expressed concern for the safety and security of foreign diplomats and stressed the importance of places of worship in the UK being open to all.
The incident at the Glasgow gurdwara had occurred amid diplomatic tensions between Canada and India. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had alleged “credible allegations” of India’s involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an accusation vehemently denied by Indian authorities. This accusation had strained relations between the two countries, leading to the expulsion of a senior diplomat from each side and the cancellation of visas for Canadians. Trudeau’s encounters with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G20 meeting in New Delhi had also been characterized as frosty.
