In a stern diplomatic rebuke, India on Thursday condemned what it termed an egregious act of vandalism at its embassy in Zagreb, while Croatian authorities vowed swift prosecution of those responsible for the brazen incursion, according to Dawn News.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a sharply worded statement decrying the “trespassing and vandalism” perpetrated by what it characterized as “anti-India elements” at the diplomatic compound in Croatia’s capital. Though officials declined to elaborate on specific details, the ministry made clear its displeasure, asserting that it had “taken up the matter strongly with Croatian authorities” and demanded accountability for what it called “reprehensible and illegal actions.”
Indian media outlets reported that a video had surfaced online purportedly documenting the incident, allegedly showing Khalistan activists forcibly removing India’s tricolor flag and hoisting in its place the distinctive yellow banner symbolizing the Sikh separatist movement. AFP was unable to independently authenticate the footage, and both Croatian police and embassy officials remained silent on requests for confirmation.
The Khalistan movement, which advocates for an independent homeland for India’s Sikh minority to be carved from Indian territory, has long been a flashpoint in India’s domestic politics and international relations.
Croatia’s foreign ministry responded with unequivocal condemnation, emphasizing that its interior ministry had launched an investigation to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. “Any violation of the inviolability of diplomatic missions is unacceptable and contrary to international law,” the ministry declared in a statement circulated on social media, underscoring the gravity with which it viewed the breach of diplomatic protocols.
The incident marks yet another flashpoint in ongoing tensions surrounding the Khalistan movement, which has previously sparked confrontations at Indian diplomatic installations in Western nations, particularly where expatriate Sikh communities maintain an active presence.
