Police Scotland has ended a probe prompted by a complaint from the Indian government after their High Commissioner was met by protesters outside the Gurdwara in Glasgow’s Southside.

The force said an investigation had found “no criminality.”

Vikram Doraiswami had been invited to attend the place of worship by Pam Gosal, the Conservative MSP. 

However, members of a Sikh youth group were waiting for the diplomat when he arrived. 

The incident comes amid both local and international tensions.

READ MORE: India expels top Canadian diplomat in row over alleged role in Sikh’s shooting

Last month, Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau claimed India was linked to the murder of Sikh activist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in British Columbia.

On Tuesday, India, which denies the claims, told Canada it must remove 41 diplomats from its embassy in Delhi.

Earlier in the week, the family of Avtar Singh Khanda, a Sikh activist who died in a Birmingham hospital after a short illness this summer, said they were seeking a formal inquest into his death from the chief coroner for England and Wales.

They believe he may have been targeted by the Indian government.

Both Nijjar and Khanda were supporters of the separatist Khalistan movement, which is outlawed in India.

There is also anger from some Sikhs in Scotland over the arbitrary detention of Jagtar Singh Johal, a Dumbarton man who has been languishing in an Indian prison for five years.

His family say he’s a peaceful blogger and activist, and that the arrest is because he has documented human rights violations against Sikhs in India.

However, India’s National Investigation Agency claim he is a terrorist and that he played an important role in eight targeted killings carried out by the Khalistan Liberation Force during 2016-2017. 

READ MORE: UK government row back on claims Johal tortured in Indian prison

Footage posted on social media showed Mr Doraiswami being approached by three people after his car pulled up outside the gurdwara in Glasgow's Albert Drive.

Indian officials said he was then turned away after “one attempted to violently open” his car door.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Sikh Youth UK (@sikhyouthuk)

They said the diplomat and colleagues were “threatened and abused by these elements.” 

The High Commission said it had reported the "disgraceful incident" to the Foreign Office and the police.

Foreign Office minister Anne-Marie Trevleyan posted on X, formerly Twitter, that she was "concerned" by the incident.

"The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all," she tweeted

However, the men involved disputed the claim. Ina statement released by Sikh Youth UK, they said they were upholding a "long standing ban on Indian officials visiting Gurdwaras in their official capacity. "

They said: "When we found out the Indians were here we went to prevent their entry and ask them questions, they left rapidly from the car park.

"The only confrontation was from one overzealous [Glasgow Gurdwara] 

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "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."