Former Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah says whether India likes it or not, they will have to talk to Pakistan. PHOTO COURTESY: INDIA TODAY
A suspected gunman was arrested after an apparent assassination attempt on senior Kashmiri politician Farooq Abdullah during a wedding ceremony in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), according to Indian media reports on Thursday.
Abdullah, a former chief minister of Indian-occupied Kashmir, was attending the event in the Greater Kailash area when the attacker allegedly approached him with a gun.
Security personnel guarding the veteran leader quickly intervened and overpowered the suspect before he could cause harm.
According to The Hindu, initial reports indicated that the attacker brandished a firearm and tried to move towards Abdullah, who is the president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) and father of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
“Eyewitnesses said he opened fire. However, police have not confirmed that,” the paper reported.
Police confirmed that an attempt had been made on Abdullah’s life during the event.
“The police said in a statement carried by The Hindu that there was “an attempt on Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s life as he attended a wedding ceremony at Royal Park, Greater Kailash”. “The security personnel of J&K Police and NSG (National Security Guard) who were deployed along with the protector immediately rebuffed the attempt and rebuffed the attempt.”
Occupied Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and Advisor to Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani were also present at the gathering when the incident took place.
In a post on social media late Wednesday, Omar Abdullah said the incident was a close call for his father.
“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 gun was able to get within point-blank range and fire a shot.”
“It was only the close protection team that deflected the shot and ensured that the assassination attempt failed,” he added.
Omar questioned how “someone was able to get so close to a Z+ NSG protected former CM”.
He also shared a video showing Abdullah walking inside a hall when a man approached from behind, apparently pulled a gun from his pocket and pointed it at the politician before the guards tackled him.
Police identified the suspect as Kamal Singh Jamwal, a resident of Purani Mandi in Jammu.
“The firearm used in the crime has also been recovered from the possession of the accused,” the police statement said.
According to the Hindustan Times, citing officials, the attacker was a 63-year-old man who told investigators he had been planning to kill Abdullah for nearly two decades.
“I wanted to kill Farooq Abdullah for the last 20 years. It was my personal agenda. The weapon is my own, issued to me,” officials quoted Jamwal as saying, adding that he considered himself “lucky to survive”.
The police state that further investigation into the incident is underway.
Reacting to the development, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed concern over the security lapse.
“shocked to hear about the serious attack on Dr. Farooq Abdullah sahab. relieved to know he is safe and well. “Hope the police get to the bottom of this very disturbing security breach,” she said on X.
