UK authorities apologise after protesters tear tricolour during Modi's visit

The British authorities have apologised over an incident in which an Indian flag in Parliament Square here was pulled down, torn and stomped on by groups protesting against atrocities in India during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Some demonstrators turned violent after the tricolour was torn down from one of the official flagpoles set up for all 53 Commonwealth countries.

The flag was replaced soon after India expressed deep anguish over the incident.

"We have expressed our concerns with the British authorities and they have apologised for the incident. We have been warning against some of these elements out to make trouble and they have assured us of action. The Indian flag has now been replaced," a senior Indian official associated with the prime minister's visit said.

A UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) spokesperson said, "While people have the right to hold peaceful protests, we are disappointed with the action taken by a small minority in Parliament Square and contacted High Commissioner Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha as soon as we were made aware.

"The visit to the UK by Prime Minister Modi has strengthened our relationship with India and we look forward to working even more closely together on a number of important areas."