NEW DELHI: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and the ruling J&K National Conference leader, Farooq Abdullah, on Wednesday (March 11) had a close shave after a man allegedly fired a shot at him during a wedding function in Jammu.
Abdullah was accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary when the incident occurred.
According to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the firing incident took place at a wedding function where Abdullah and Choudhary were present.
The suspected shooter has since been arrested. He has been identified as Kamal Singh, a resident of Purani Mandi, Jammu.
"An attempt was made on the life of Dr Farooq Abdullah, former CM/President of J&K National Conference, when he was attending a marriage ceremony at Royal Park, Greater Kailash, Jammu.
"The security personnel of JKP and NSG, who were deployed with the protectee, immediately swung into action and thwarted the attempt.
"The accused, identified as Kamal Singh, S/o Ajit Singh, R/o Purani Mandi, Jammu, was taken into custody. The firearm used in the crime has also been recovered from the accused’s possession.
"Cognisance has been taken, and further investigation is underway," the J&K Police said in a statement.
Son and J&K CM Omar Abdullah questions security lapse
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Farooq Abdullah’s son, Omar Abdullah, said that his father had a “very close shave” and escaped the possible assassination attempt.
"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 & discharge a shot. It was only the close protection team that deflected the shot & ensured that the assassination attempt failed," he said.
The Chief Minister also raised questions as to how the man managed to come close to the point-blank range when his father was a Z+ NSG-protected.
"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…," he said on X.
CCTV captures the failed assassination attempt on Farooq Abdullah
A CCTV footage from the venue has also surfaced online. The purported footage captures the exact moment the shooter made the attempt on Abdullah’s life.
The footage shows Abdullah and Chaudhary walking surrounded by people when a man suddenly approaches him from behind and attempts to fire, before members of the close protection team intervene and deflect the shot.
Eyewitnesses recount the incident
Meanwhile, an eyewitness named Rakesh Singh has recounted the sequence of events. According to Singh, the man put the revolver behind Abdullah’s back and fired, but missed the shot.
"I was at the wedding of the daughter of the president of our legal cell. We were all sitting and enjoying. Then Doctor Sahib said that he has to go… Then a man comes and puts a revolver behind Doctor Sahib’s back… However, he missed the shot… Doctor Sahib survived… There was no security or police here. The deputy CM was with him, the advisor was with him…," he said.
J&K NC MLA Ajaz Ahmed Jan, who was also present at the event, said that the attacker was immediately overpowered and handed over to the police.
"He (Farooq Abdullah) was attending a function. We were all with them. When we were departing from the function… a man came from behind and he ran very fast and placed his revolver on the back of Doctor Sahib (Farooq Abdullah) and he fired, but missed his shot."
He further added, "The people who were with Doctor Sahib’s (Farooq Abdullah) caught him in a moment, made him fall down, pressed him, and with great difficulty, we took the pistol from him. Then we left from there and came back home. It is a very unfortunate part that the gun reached inside the wedding… but let’s be thankful that everyone is fine… Farooq Abdullah is absolutely fine. He has gone to his room to rest…"
Following the incident, SP (South Jammu) Ajay Sharma reached the residence of Farooq Abdullah.
The police have registered a case and taken the attacker into custody. An investigation is underway to ascertain the motive behind the attack. - The Statesman/ANN
