Veteran political leader Farooq Abdullah narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Wednesday night after a gunman fired at him from close range during a wedding event in Jammu.
The incident took place in the Greater Kailash area of the city when Abdullah, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, was leaving the function along with Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary.
Security personnel immediately intervened and prevented the attack from causing harm.
CCTV Footage Shows Gunman Firing at Close Range
According to officials, CCTV footage from the venue captured the suspect approaching Abdullah from behind before firing a shot from point-blank range.
The security team accompanying the leader reacted quickly and managed to deflect the shot. Officers then restrained and arrested the accused at the spot.
Police later confirmed that the weapon used in the attack had been seized.
Accused Identified as Jammu Resident
Authorities identified the attacker as 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal, a resident of Purani Mandi in Jammu. Officials said he is the son of Ajit Singh.
During preliminary questioning, the accused reportedly told investigators that he had been waiting for an opportunity to target Abdullah for nearly two decades.
Police also said the suspect appeared to be intoxicated at the time of the incident.
Leaders Present at the Wedding Function
The incident occurred while Abdullah and Choudhary were attending the wedding of the daughter of National Conference leader BS Chouhan. According to officials, the leaders had spent more than an hour at the venue before the attack occurred as they were leaving.
National Conference spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq confirmed that all party leaders present at the event were safe.
Senior party leader Nasir Aslam Wani also said the situation could have been far worse but security personnel acted swiftly to prevent tragedy.
Omar Abdullah Reacts to the Incident
Reacting to the attack, Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and son of Farooq Abdullah, expressed relief that his father was unharmed.
In a post on social media platform X, Omar Abdullah wrote that his father had a “very close shave.” He added that several questions remain about how the attacker managed to approach a leader protected by high-level security.
Authorities have launched a detailed investigation into the security breach and the motive behind the attack.
