Govt to strengthen Brar's security, may relocate him

Caught off-guard by the assassination attempt on Lt Gen (retd) KS Brar in London, the home ministry started the process to increase security for him back home and may even relocate him if required. HT reports.

Caught off-guard by the assassination attempt on Lt Gen (retd) KS Brar in London, the home ministry started the process to increase security for him back home and may even relocate him if required.

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But the retired officer's wife made it clear that they were ready to live with the threats to their lives. "No…That (threat) is always there and will be there. That doesn't really matter," his wife Meena said at the Mumbai airport soon after Brar, who had a bandage on his neck and cheek, arrived from London.

In Delhi, home ministry officials said the security establishment had not been aware of his visit to London or it would have made arrangements for his security there.

Brar had reportedly informed army authorities in Mumbai about his London visit.

This information, however, was not conveyed to the ministry.

A senior official said the Intelligence Bureau was being told to conduct a security review of the retired army officer, who led the 1984 Operation Bluestar against Sikh militants in Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Brar - who has been on the hit list of Khalistani militant groups for the last three decades - has "Z" category security, which might be upgraded to the highest level of security category, "Z-plus".

Officials indicated that the internal security establishment will closely track Brar's security and movements in future, particularly in context of continuing intelligence inputs in recent years about attempts to revive militancy in Punjab.

Some officials indicated relocating Brar could be considered but doubted if the retired officer would agree.

"Why should he hide…. It is for us to protect him, wherever he wants to live," one of them said.