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Indian Lt-Gen Kuldeep Singh Brar attackers jailed | Indian Lt-Gen Kuldeep Singh Brar attackers jailed |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Sikh gang convicted of slashing a retired Indian general's throat in revenge for a controversial 1984 military offensive has been jailed. | |
Lieutenant-General Kuldeep Singh Brar, 78, was attacked as he walked with his wife in central London in 2012. | Lieutenant-General Kuldeep Singh Brar, 78, was attacked as he walked with his wife in central London in 2012. |
Mandeep Singh Sandhu, 34, of Birmingham, Dilbag Singh, 37, and Harjit Kaur, 39, both from London, were convicted of wounding with intent. | Mandeep Singh Sandhu, 34, of Birmingham, Dilbag Singh, 37, and Harjit Kaur, 39, both from London, were convicted of wounding with intent. |
Barjinder Singh Sangha, 33, of Wolverhampton, had admitted the charge. | |
The retired general and his wife, Meena, were heading for a night out in the West End when the attack happened on 30 September 2012, Southwark Crown Court heard. | |
Revenge attack | |
Mandeep Singh Sandhu and Dilbag Singh were sentenced to 14 years, Harjit Kaur was jailed for 11 years while Barjinder Singh Sangha received a sentence of 10 years and six months. | |
Lt Gen Brar was involved in a controversial military operation - Operation Blue Star - against Sikh separatists in Amritsar, north-west India, in June 1984. | Lt Gen Brar was involved in a controversial military operation - Operation Blue Star - against Sikh separatists in Amritsar, north-west India, in June 1984. |
It left at least 500 people dead and left him the target of anger and revenge attacks. | |
Lt Gen Brar's role in the operation had "made him a target for Sikh extremist groups", the jury heard during the trial. | |
Kaur followed the victim and his wife on the day of the attack, keeping her accomplices informed of the target's movements, who were in waiting. | |
When the couple reached Old Quebec Street, Sangha "drew a knife as the other men held the victim", the jury were told. | |
He was left with a 12-inch cut running across his neck and jaw and another three-inch cut to the jaw. | |
His protection ranking was raised to the highest possible following the attack. |