Former Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister (CM) and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah narrowly escaped an assassination attempt when a gunman opened fire on him after coming from behind while Abdullah was leaving a marriage function in Jammu last night. He later made a statement saying, “God saved me. Abdullah said he didn’t knew the intention of the accused, identified as 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal, son of Ajit Singh, a resident of Purani Mandi in Jammu. Kamal said to the Police that he had been waiting for an opportunity to target Abdullah for the past 20 years. He aimed the pistol at Farooq at a marriage ceremony at Royal Park, Greater Kailash, Jammu, and fired two shots.
The security personnel of former CM intervened and destabilised the attacker. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Abdullah and inquired about his well-being. The three time J&K CM expressed concerns regarding security arrangements in the wedding. The Police later recovered the firearm of the accused, which was used in the crime. Kamal said he had personal motives behind the assasination attempt. According to the residents, the accused has no criminal records and owns shops. The Police is further investigating the case.
Jammu Kashmir’s present CM and Farooq Abdullah’s son also made a statement later saying, “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 discharge a shot. It was only the close protection team that deflected the shot & 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,.”
