Delhi police on Friday registered an FIR in connection with Sunday’s vandalism at the Indian high commission in London by Khalistani activists who also pulled down the Tricolour.

Sources said the police registered a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code following a direction from the Union home ministry.

“The special cell of Delhi police has started the investigation of the incident as it involves unlawful activities carried out by certain persons holding Indian nationality abroad,” said a home ministry official.

Action can be initiated the moment the accused set foot on Indian soil.

The home ministry has directed the police to take appropriate legal action on the receipt of a report from the external affairs ministry on the incident at the Indian high commission on March 19, the official said.

During a media briefing on Friday, external affairs ministry spokesman ArindamBagchi said: “We have shared with relevant agencies an incident report on what happened outside our HC in London this week. Now it’s up to the relevant agencies to do what they can do about it.”

On Wednesday, New Delhi removed concrete security barriers from the British high commission and the high commissioner’s residence in Delhi in an apparent retaliation to the absence of security around India House on Sunday.

British foreign secretary James Cleverly has assured India that changes will be made in the security around the Indian high commission in London, stepping in to contain the damagedonetothebilateralrelationship by the vandalism at India House.