London: Eleven more people were arrested in London on Friday in connection with the stabbing of retired Lieutenant General KS Brar, taking the total number in police custody to 15. Brar is known for leading leading 'Operation Blue Star' 28 years ago to flush out pro-Khalistani militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab.
On Thursday, four persons, including a woman, were arrested by the Metropolitan Police in connection with the conspiracy to murder Brar, a spokesman of Scotland Yard had said.
The new arrest also includes a woman, taking the total of women arrested in the case to two. The woman, who was earlier taken into the custody, is alleged to be the mastermind behind the attack.
In the latest arrests made by Scotland Yard, a man and a woman were arrested at a house in North London. Three men were arrested at the fashionable Kensington and Chelsea area of Central London. Three more men were taken into custody at Holland Park in London and the last three men were arrested at a house for immigration offences.
Earlier, a 33-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman were arrested at a residential address in Wolverhampton at about 10.30 pm on Thursday. Another 34-year-old man was arrested after being stopped in a car in West Bromwich about 30 minutes later; while a 25-year-old man was arrested in the same circumstances at 12.30 am.
The 78-year-old former Army officer was attacked by four men in Old Quebec Street, near Oxford Street in London on Sunday night.
After the attack, Brar was taken to hospital with a neck wound. He returned to Mumbai along with his wife on Wednesday.
Brar said he was convinced that it was an attempt to assassinate him by "pro-Khalistan elements" for his role in the 1984 'Operation Blue Star'. The operation was aimed at flushing out Sikh terrorists led by Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale from the Golden Temple.
Gen Brar is a decorated soldier who had seen action in the 1971 war with Pakistan. He was among the first to enter Dhaka when the Indian army forced Pakistani army into surrender.
General AS Vaidya, who was the Army Chief in 1984, had planned the highly controversial 'Operation Blue Star'. In 1986, Vaidya was shot dead in Pune.
The four men, who attacked Brar, are described as being of Asian appearance, all with long beards, and were wearing dark clothing and long black jackets. They all fled in the direction of Oxford Street.
After the attack, Brar had said that he had informed local Army authorities in Mumbai about his private visit to London, but the Indian High Commission in London said it was unaware of his trip.
(With additional information from PTI)
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