Veteran politician and former Farooq Abdullah, who served as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt during a wedding function in Jammu on Wednesday night.
According to officials, a gunman allegedly opened fire at close range while Abdullah was leaving the event held in the Greater Kailash area on the outskirts of the city. The attacker was quickly overpowered by Abdullah’s security personnel, including members of the National Security Guard (NSG), preventing any harm to the senior leader.
Reacting to the incident on Thursday morning, Abdullah said he was grateful to have escaped unharmed. “I am fine and God has saved me,” he told reporters while recounting the tense moment.
The alleged attacker has been identified as Kamal Singh Jamwal. Authorities said he managed to get extremely close to Abdullah before being restrained by the security team. According to Abdullah, the gunman had reached just behind his neck when the security personnel intervened at the last moment. He was immediately escorted to his car and driven away from the venue safely.
The dramatic incident has raised serious questions about the security arrangements for high-profile leaders in the sensitive region. Abdullah, who enjoys Z+ security cover, is protected under one of the highest levels of security provided to public figures in India. Under normal protocol, such events require strict access control and prior sanitisation of the venue.
Following the incident, Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and son of Farooq Abdullah, expressed concern over the apparent security lapse. In a post on social media, he noted that a man carrying a loaded pistol was able to reach point-blank range and even fire a shot before being stopped by the close protection team.
Omar Abdullah also questioned how the attacker managed to get so close to a former chief minister who is under NSG protection, saying many questions still remain unanswered. After learning about the incident, he immediately travelled to Jammu and went straight to his father’s residence.
In response to the attack, senior officials have begun reviewing the security arrangements of all central government protectees across Jammu and Kashmir. Authorities are also considering strengthening convoy protection systems, including upgrading signal jammers and tightening security protocols at public events.