Man waited 20 years to kill Farooq Abdullah, says accused after failed shooting attempt
wedding function in Jammu where Abdullah, former Chief Minister of the union territory and president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, had arrived to attend the ceremony
Srinagar: A shocking assassination attempt on veteran leader Farooq Abdullah has triggered major security concerns in Jammu and Kashmir after the accused reportedly told investigators that he had been waiting for two decades to carry out the attack.
The incident took place at a wedding function in Jammu where Abdullah, former Chief Minister of the union territory and president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, had arrived to attend the ceremony.
According to officials, the accused, identified as Kamal Singh Jamwal (63), approached Abdullah from close range and opened fire using a licensed firearm. However, the bullet missed its target and Abdullah escaped unhurt.
Security personnel, including commandos of the National Security Guard (NSG), quickly overpowered the attacker and prevented further harm.
Sources said Jamwal later told police that he had been planning the attack for nearly 20 years and carried out the act due to what he described as “personal hatred” toward the senior leader.
Videos circulating on social media show the accused moving close to Abdullah and attempting to fire his weapon before being restrained by security officials. Witnesses said Jamwal appeared to be intoxicated at the time of the attack.
After being caught, some people present at the venue reportedly thrashed the accused before handing him over to police authorities. Later, Jamwal was seen sitting calmly on a chair while explaining his background to investigators.
Police sources revealed that Jamwal owns several shops in the old city area of Jammu and earns income from rent collected from those properties.
The accused reportedly also claimed to be the president of an organisation called “Jagran Manch”.
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At the time of the incident, Surinder Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, was also present at the wedding event along with Abdullah.
Officials said the leaders had attended the wedding of the daughter of National Conference leader B. S. Chauhan and had been present at the venue for more than an hour when the shooting attempt occurred.
Reacting to the incident, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed shock and thanked God that his father escaped unharmed.
He also raised serious questions about the security arrangements at the event, asking how an armed person carrying a loaded pistol managed to come within point-blank range of the National Conference leader.
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Security agencies have launched a detailed investigation into the incident and are examining possible lapses that allowed the accused to get so close to the former Chief Minister.
