NEW DELHI - A group of around 40 protesters shouting anti-Sri Lanka slogans Friday barged into the Sri Lankan high commission here and damaged some property in its premises. India quickly expressed deep regret at the incident and assured action against the perpetrators.
“We deeply regret this unfortunate incident which has involved an act of violence against a diplomatic mission, the external affairs ministry said here.
“The law enforcement agencies have swung into action. Security around the high commission premises has been strengthened, the ministry said.
“Action as prescribed by the law will be taken against the perpetrators of this incident, the ministry said.
The incident, the first of its kind, took place around 2.30 p.m. Officials of the Sri Lankan high commission expressed shock and hoped that prompt action would be taken against the offenders.
“We are shocked. We have taken it up with the external affairs ministry and the Delhi Police, S. Gunaratne, first secretary in the Sri Lankan high commission, told IANS.
The Tamil protesters after scaling the wall of the high commission, located in the high-security diplomatic enclave in the Indian capital, smashed 10-15 flower pots.
“In the afternoon, there were about 40-50 people chanting anti-Lanka slogans. They looked like Tamils and flaunted placards attacking the Sri Lankan government,” Gunaratne said.
“Since it was a holiday, there was no staff around. They smashed several flower pots and chanted slogans,” he said.
The Lankan security staff managed to overpower them, he said. No one was arrested.
The Sri Lankan high commission is a stone’s throw from the Chanakyapuri police station.
“No one was injured. It all happened in two minutes. Before the police could swing into action, they had fled. No one could be arrested,” Additional Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) S. Dass told IANS.
“These people were Tamils protesting and they are extending support to Tamils in Sri Lanka. They were prepared and had arrived along with news channel reporters. We are seeking video footage from news channels to identify those who stormed the high commission,” he said.
The issue of resettlement of around 300,000 Tamil civilians in temporary camps in Sri Lanka after the end of the insurgency led by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka is an emotive issue with Tamils in India.
Colombo has assured New Delhi that it is taking all possible steps to resettle the Tamils as soon as possible.
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October 2nd, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Sri Lankan Tamils should make every effort to break their link with India - even if that means giving up Hinduism and Tamil to save themselves as India will help again to kill our people once again like it took part in the killing of 50,000.