Goa, Aug. 15 -- An event to mark India's 79th Independence Day in Australia was disrupted on Friday after a group of pro-Khalistan supporters staged a protest outside the Indian Consulate in Melbourne.

According to The Australia Today, the protesters waved Khalistan flags as members of the Indian diaspora hoisted the tricolour and sang patriotic songs. A video of the incident, now circulating on social media, also shows a heated verbal exchange between the two groups. Local authorities later intervened to prevent the situation from escalating.

The incident comes amid a surge in pro-Khalistan activities across Australia. Just last month, the Swaminarayan temple in Melbourne and two Asian restaurants were vandalised with hate graffiti. On...