Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Farooq Abdullah had a narrow escape on Wednesday when a gunman opened fire at him while he was leaving a marriage function in Jammu, officials confirmed.
Senior NC leaders, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, and Advisor to the CM Nasir Aslam Wani, were accompanying him at the time of the incident.
The accused has been identified as 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal, son of Ajit Singh, a resident of Purani Mandi in Jammu. He told police he had been waiting for more than 20 years to kill the former Chief Minister.
Omar Abdullah later thanked God (Allah) for saving his father’s life. In a post on X, he wrote, “Allah is kind. My father had a very close shave. The details are sketchy at the moment, but what is known is that a man with a loaded pistol was able to get within point-blank range and discharge a shot.”
“It was only the close protection team that deflected the shot and ensured that the assassination attempt failed. There are more questions than answers at the moment, including but not limited to how someone was able to get this close to a Z+ NSG-protected former CM.”
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah in his first reaction after a man allegedly tried to assassinate him during a marriage function on Wednesday night said that it is only God who saved him. Farooq Abdullah had a narrow escape when the gunman opened fire from behind while the veteran leader was leaving the venue.
Farooq Abdullah recounting chilling moment, saying "I am fine and God has saved me," Abdullah said. Recounting the chilling moment, he said the assailant had managed to get right behind his neck." "At the last minute, he was overpowered by the security personnel, including the NSG. I was immediately put into my car and driven away safely," he added.
CCTV footage showed the gunman approaching Farooq Abdullah from behind with a pistol aimed at his head.
The scene caught his security detail by surprise, but they managed to deflect the shooter and overpower him before any harm was done.
“The security deployed with the protectee immediately swung into action, thwarted the attempt, and took the accused into custody, who was later identified as Kamal Singh,” police said in an official statement.
Officials confirmed that the weapon and the accused are in police custody. Kamal Singh confessed that the attack was intentional and that he had planned to kill Farooq Abdullah.
SP (City South) Ajay Sharma posted on X, “There has been a firing incident using a licensed weapon at a marriage party where ex-CM Farooq Abdullah was also present. The accused has been arrested, and a detailed investigation is going on. There is no terror angle.”
Follow us
