Four arrested in connection with attack on Lt Gen K S Brar

LONDON: In a breakthrough, British police arrested four people, including a woman, in connection with the attack on Lt Gen (retd) K S Brar, the hero of the 'Operation Bluestar' in 1984.

"Officers from the MPS have arrested three men and one woman on suspicion of conspiracy to murder in connection with the investigation into the attempted murder of an Indian man (Brar) in central London on September 30," a spokesperson of the Metropolitan Police Service told PTI.

"All the four are being taken to a central London police station where they will be interviewed by detectives," he said.

In the first arrest yesterday, one 33-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman were held from Wolverhampton at about 17:00 BST (2230 IST), the spokesperson said.

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 19:00 BST (0030 IST), he said.

"All four are being taken to a central London police station where they will be interviewed by detectives. Inquiries are ongoing and police continue to appeal for information into the incident," he said.

Brar (78), who had led ' Operation Blue Star' 28 years ago to flush out pro-Khalistani militants from the Golden Temple, was on a private visit when he was attacked by four men in Old Quebec Street near Oxford Street on Sunday night when he was returning to his hotel with his wife.

Brar was stabbed and injured by four persons, suspected to be Khalistan sympathisers. He suffered a wound on his neck and cheek but his wife was not injured in the attack.

The four men who attacked Brar were described as being of Asian appearance, all with long beards, and were wearing dark clothing and long black jackets.

Earlier, the Police had said that it was treating the attack as an attempted murder.