Assassination Attempt on Farooq Abdullah Foiled at Jammu Wedding; Attacker Held

Jammu: An assassination attempt on National Conference (NC) chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah was foiled late Wednesday after a man allegedly tried to shoot him during a wedding function in Jammu, prompting serious questions about security lapses despite his Z+ protection cover.

The incident occurred at a marriage party held at Royal Park in the Greater Kailash area of Jammu. According to police, the accused managed to get close to the former Chief Minister and attempted to open fire with a pistol before security personnel intervened.

Personnel from the National Security Guard (NSG), part of Abdullah’s close protection team, immediately swung into action and thwarted the attack by deflecting the shot, preventing any casualties.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the incident as an assassination attempt and questioned how the attacker was able to get within range despite the high-level security cover.

“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 asked to get within range to discharge shot. It was only the close protection team that deflected the shot and ensured that the assassination attempt was foiled,” Omar Abdullah said in a post on X.

He further raised concerns about security arrangements around his father, who is protected under the Z+ security category by the NSG.

“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 added.

According to the FIR, Jammu and Kashmir Police have registered a case under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for attempt to murder. The accused has also been booked under Section 3/25 of the Arms Act for illegal possession and use of a firearm.

The FIR has been registered at Gangyal Police Station under FIR No. 29, following the shocking incident that took place at a wedding function in Jammu on Wednesday night.

The accused has been identified as Kamal Singh, a resident of the Purani Mandi area of Jammu. Police said he was immediately apprehended by security personnel at the venue and taken into custody.

Authorities also recovered the firearm used in the attempt from the accused. A case has been registered and further investigation is currently underway to determine the motive behind the attack and whether the accused acted alone.

Nasir Aslam Wani, advisor to the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, confirmed that no one was injured in the incident. “No, it’s nothing like that. Allah has been very kind,” Wani told reporters when asked about injuries.

He also said that it was too early to comment on possible lapses in security arrangements and that the matter would be examined during the investigation.

“The accused has been taken into custody for now. This is just the start. When the investigation is complete, we will know what it was and what he was looking for,” Wani said.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, who was present at the venue during the incident, also confirmed that no one was injured but questioned how such a breach could occur despite the heavy security presence.

Following the incident, senior police officials including the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the Jammu zone reached the Gangyal Police Station where the accused is currently being held.

Farooq Abdullah, who narrowly escaped the attack, is safe and currently resting, officials said.

The shocking incident has triggered concerns about security arrangements for high-profile political leaders and raised fresh questions about how an armed individual managed to get close to a protectee under one of India’s highest security cover categories.

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