Close shave for Farooq Abdullah as he escapes assassination bid after man fires from point-blank range
PTC News Desk: A man opened fire at a wedding in Jammu in the presence of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and serving Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Wednesday evening, the police said.
Police have ruled out any terrorist angle in the incident. According to officials, the event occurred at Hotel Royal Park in the upscale Greater Kailash locality on the outskirts of Jammu. The accused has been identified as Kamal Singh Jamwal, a local resident who owns several shops in the city.
National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah escaped without any injuries, while his party colleague Choudhary reportedly suffered a minor splinter wound. Police said the accused is currently being questioned.
During the interrogation, Jamwal allegedly told the police that he had been trying to kill Farooq Abdullah for the last 20 years and described the endeavour as a "personal agenda." The man also said that the firearm used by him was his personal licenced gun.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Farooq Abdullah's son, Omar Abdullah, said the attempt made on his father's life was only blocked by the close protection team of his 'Z ' security detail.
"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. 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 wrote on X.
- PTC NEWS
