Jammu: Farooq Abdullah, president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, narrowly escaped an alleged assassination attempt in Jammu on Wednesday evening when a man tried to shoot him at close range during a wedding ceremony.
The incident occurred at a marriage function at Royal Park in Greater Kailash. According to police, the attacker managed to get within a few steps of the veteran leader and fired a shot. However, security personnel from the National Security Guard pushed the assailant at the last moment, causing the bullet to miss its target.
The suspect, identified as Kamal Singh Jamwal, was immediately detained at the scene. Videos circulating online showed people assaulting him shortly after he was apprehended.
Police said the accused, a resident of Purana Mandi in Jammu, was later seen sitting on a chair while speaking to officers. The 65-year-old reportedly claimed he had been waiting for this moment for nearly 20 years.
In a statement, police confirmed that an attempt was made on Abdullah’s life while he was attending the wedding ceremony.
Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and Farooq Abdullah’s son, described the incident as an assassination attempt. In a post on X, he said his father had a “very close shave” after a man with a loaded pistol managed to get within point-blank range and fire.
He credited the close protection team for deflecting the shot and preventing the attack, while raising questions about how the assailant managed to approach a leader protected by Z+ security.
Farooq Abdullah was accompanied at the event by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and the chief minister’s adviser Nasir Sogami.
Sogami said it appeared to be an attempt to kill Abdullah, but added that no one was injured in the firing. He said the motive behind the attack was still unclear and it was too early to determine whether there had been any security lapse.
