NEW DELHI: Stone-throwing Indian students tried to raid the Pakistan High Commission Building in New Delhi’s Diplomatic Enclave today [Feb 3]. They smashed windowpanes of the buildings and several members of the High Commission Staff were hurt. The demonstrations — the largest in the city for years — called for revenge against Pakistan and demanded the return of the Kashmiri hijackers who hijacked an Indian airliner and have been granted political asylum. They increased violence later in the night as Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, speaking in Calcutta, blamed Pakistan for the hijacking and blowing up of the Indian Airlines plane in Lahore.

Mrs Gandhi on an election tour of West Bengal, said, the Government and the people of India were indignant at the “encouragement” given by the authorities in West Pakistan in helping hijacking. ... In Delhi, police hurled 80 teargas grenades to break up a crowd of about 5,000 students....

A Pakistan High Commission spokesman told “Reuter” ... that a diplomat and another member of the staff had been hit by stones thrown by students. Both Police and student spokesmen alleged that stones had been thrown back from inside the High Commission compound.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2021