63-Year-Old Man Arrested for Attempted Shooting of Farooq Abdullah at Jammu Wedding
In a shocking incident that has raised serious security concerns, a 63-year-old man was arrested for attempting to shoot National Conference president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah at a wedding in Jammu on Wednesday. The suspect, identified as Kamal Singh Jamwal, a resident of Purani Mandi in the old city of Jammu, was overpowered and disarmed by security personnel after firing two shots.
Suspect's Confession and Long-Term Planning
In a video that has been circulating on social media, Jamwal can be seen confessing to the attempted assassination. "I wanted to kill Farooq Abdullah… It was my personal agenda. I tried today but it didn't happen. The weapon I used is a licensed one in my name," Jamwal states in the video. He further reveals that he had been planning to target the veteran politician for an astonishing 20 years. According to police reports, Jamwal was present at the wedding venue as a relative of the groom, which provided him access to the event.
Security Lapse and Immediate Aftermath
The firing occurred moments before Farooq Abdullah was scheduled to leave the Greater Kailash wedding venue. "I initially thought it was a firecracker. Then I felt heat here," Abdullah told reporters, pointing to the side of his left ear. He was quickly escorted to his vehicle by his security detail, who informed him that the suspect had fired two shots before being immobilized by a security guard who grabbed his arm and snatched the gun.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, who was accompanying Abdullah at the event, expressed shock over the incident and blamed it on a significant security lapse. "You can understand the situation – the assailant was taken to the police station by my security detail," Choudhary stated, highlighting the absence of police presence at an event attended by high-profile political figures.
Official Responses and Investigations
Following the incident, Union Home Minister Amit Shah called Farooq Abdullah late Wednesday to assure him that the security scare would be thoroughly investigated. Abdullah responded by emphasizing the need to get to the bottom of the matter. "The Centre and the lieutenant governor of J&K repeatedly say law-and-order has improved. They should seriously reflect on whether it has improved to such an extent that we can walk with dignity," Abdullah remarked.
Jammu SP (city south) Ajay Sharma posted on social media platform X that "there is no terror angle" in the case, though police have officially revealed little else about Jamwal. Authorities have sealed Jamwal's home and deployed a guard outside as part of the ongoing investigation.
Political Reactions and Condemnations
National Conference spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar insisted that the firing should be investigated as "a terror incident", questioning how the video of Jamwal justifying his act appeared on social media. "Why was the video leaked and at whose behest?" Dar asked, noting that Farooq Abdullah had previously been targeted by terrorists three times.
At the NC's Srinagar headquarters, party functionaries adopted a resolution condemning the attack as "an assault on democratic values and the voice of the people". Similar statements were issued by former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and Kashmir's head cleric and Hurriyat chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, underscoring the broad condemnation across political and religious lines.
Family and Administrative Follow-Up
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited his father at his Jammu residence early Thursday before heading to the civil secretariat for a series of meetings to address the fallout from the incident. Farooq Abdullah, reflecting on the suspect's motives, stated, "I have not done anything wrong to anyone. Even when I was CM, whoever came to me, I always tried to help them."
The attempted assassination has sparked a nationwide debate on security protocols for political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, with calls for enhanced measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
