Jammu: Omar Abdullah on Wednesday raised serious questions over security arrangements after an alleged assassination attempt on his father, Farooq Abdullah, during a wedding function in Jammu.
Farooq Abdullah, 88, who is under Z+ security protection, narrowly escaped after a man fired at him from close range. The highest security category for civilians includes round-the-clock protection by commandos of the National Security Guard along with police personnel.
In a post on X, Omar Abdullah said his father had a “very close shave”, adding that a man carrying a loaded pistol managed to reach point-blank range and fire a shot.
He credited the close protection team for deflecting the shot and preventing the assassination attempt, but questioned how the attacker managed to get so close to a leader protected by Z+ security.
The incident occurred when Farooq Abdullah was attending a wedding in Jammu. CCTV footage from the venue reportedly showed the suspect following the veteran leader before pulling out a gun and firing, only to be blocked by a security commando.
Police later identified the accused as Kamal Singh Jamwal, a 65-year-old resident of Purani Mandi in Jammu. He was immediately taken into custody.
According to sources, Jamwal told police he had been “waiting for this moment” for nearly two decades.
Initial inquiries suggest the accused fired one round from his licenced weapon and that Farooq Abdullah was the intended target. The motive behind the attack remains unclear.
Farooq Abdullah has survived several terror attacks in the past.
