London:
Scotland Yard has said that it has made eight more arrests in connection with the attack on Lieutenant General (retired) KS Brar, the officer who led Operation Bluestar in 1984. The fresh arrests come a day after four others, including a woman, were arrested in the case.
Overall, the British police have arrested a total of 15 people after General Brar was attacked last week in what he described as an assassination attempt.
General Brar has linked the attack to his role in the attack on Sikh militants in the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984, called Operation Bluestar. Over 1000 people were killed in the operation.
Even though a bid was made on his life, General Brar today said he will resist any move by the government to relocate him. He said that he finds Mumbai -- his home of 20 years -- "absolutely safe" and that he cannot be treated like a "football".
The 78-year-old former General of the Indian Army said he does not want to lead the "life of a prisoner" and feels relocation is no answer to the threat to his life.
"Yes, I will resist any attempt to relocate me. I cannot be treated like a football. I have been here for the last 20 years. I am 78 now and have few more years left. I have friends and family here," General Brar told PTI in an interview while responding to media reports that the Centre was planning to shift him to an undisclosed location.
"There is no threat to the place where I stay. What is a safer place than this, unless it is in the middle of a forest, or in a prison or in a war cell. I don't want to live a prisoner's life," the highly-decorated officer, who led the operation to flush out terrorists from the Golden Temple in 1984, said.
General Brar said he would cut down on his movement but "never live in a cage".
"Relocation is no answer (to threat to his life) as those who want to know where I am will get to know where I am," he said, adding he has not received any official communication from the government about plans to shift him from Mumbai to a more secure place.
On media reports that the attack on him was planned in Germany on June 6, the anniversary of 'Operation Bluestar', General Brar claimed it was to take place in India.
General Brar, who was stabbed in the neck and cheek near Oxford Street in London on September 30 when he was walking down to his hotel with his wife, is convinced that the attackers were pro-Khalistan elements and they intended to kill him.