Two decades in the shadows: Jammu man and his long-held grudge against Farooq Abdullah

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah narrowly escaped a gun attack when a man fired at him from close range while he was leaving a wedding function in Jammu on Wednesday night, officials said.

The incident occurred at a marriage ceremony held at Royal Park in Greater Kailash, Jammu. Abdullah had attended the function to greet a party leader and was leaving the venue when the gunman approached him from behind.

Members of Abdullah’s close protection team immediately intervened after the shot was fired, deflecting the attack and overpowering the assailant before any harm could be caused.

Police arrested the accused, identified as 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal from Purani Mandi in Jammu. The pistol used in the incident was recovered from his possession.

During questioning, the accused allegedly told investigators that he had been waiting for an opportunity to target Abdullah for nearly two decades and acted when he finally got close to him.

Deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary and chief minister’s advisor Nasir Aslam Wani were accompanying Abdullah at the wedding function when the firing incident occurred.

Sharing brief details about the tense moments at a wedding function in Jammu’s Greater Kailash area, NC chief told reporters, “I was walking out of the venue when I heard the sound of a firecracker.Immediately, I was rushed into a car. Later, I was told that there was a man with a pistol who had fired two shots. Neither do I know this man (the accused), nor do I have any information about him.”

According to police, the accused used a licensed weapon and was reportedly intoxicated at the time of the incident. Authorities said there is currently no indication of a terror angle.

Abdullah’s son, Omar Abdullah, said his father had a “very close shave,” adding that the quick response of the security team ensured the assassination attempt failed.