A gunshot was fired from close range towards former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday night. Abdullah, who was attending a wedding in Greater Kailash area of Jammu, was not hit. An official word from the police on the incident is awaited.
Police have taken the suspect into custody. A video clip purportedly shows the shooter approaching Abdullah, who is in an entourage, from the rear and shooting near his ear.
“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 and discharge a shot. It was only the close protection team that deflected the shot and 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,” J&K CM and Farooq’s son Omar Abdullah posted on X.
J&K’s Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and advisor to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Nasir Aslam Wani, were also at the wedding. Outside the venue, Choudhary told reporters that this is a major security lapse and “no one from the local police was at the event”.
“When officials of the government, including a former CM, are present at an event, how did someone enter with a weapon? This should be questioned,” he said.
CM’s advisor Wani said, “Let the investigation get underway; there is a suspect in custody, and thankfully Dr Sahab is completely fine.”
National Conference spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said he had spoken to Farooq Abdullah, Choudhary and Wani, and all three are “safe and fine”.
Congress leader Tariq Hameed Karra posted on X: “Strongly condemn the shocking firing incident on former CM Farooq Abdullah saab and other senior leaders reported in Jammu today. Such acts of violence are deeply disturbing and raise serious concerns about the prevailing security scenario in the region.”
“The increasing criminalisation and lawlessness cannot be ignored. Those entrusted with maintaining law and order must be held accountable. The people deserve safety, stability, and a secure environment, and it is the responsibility of the administration to ensure that such incidents are not repeated,” he wrote.
NC MLA Ajaz Ahmed Jan, who was also at the wedding, told ANI, “When we were leaving the function, a man came from behind. He ran very fast, placed his revolver on the back of Doctor Sahib (Farooq Abdullah) and fired, but his shot missed… The people who were with Doctor Sahab’s security caught him, tackled him to the ground, and, with great difficulty, we took the pistol from him.”
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