'Mistook gunshot for firecracker': Farooq Abdullah after surviving assassination bid
What's the story
Farooq Abdullah, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference chief, survived an assassination attempt on Wednesday night. The incident took place at a wedding in Jammu, where a gunman, identified as 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal, fired at point-blank range. Speaking at a press conference after the incident, Abdullah said he initially mistook the gunfire for firecrackers before realizing the gravity of the situation.
Motive mystery
Who is Jamwal, why he wanted to kill me:Abdullah
Abdullah said he had no idea who Jamwal was or why he wanted to kill him. "I was walking out...when I heard the sound of a firecracker. Immediately, I was rushed into a car. Later, I was told that there was a man...who had fired two shots," he said. He also wondered if it was a security lapse since there were no police present at the wedding despite many VIPs in attendance.
Official response
Amit Shah assures investigation into matter
"I don't know what his intention was. To say it was a security lapse would be a big statement to make. Many big personalities were present at the wedding, but there were no police present," he said. He also said Union Home Minister Amit Shah reached out to him after the incident. He assured the former CM that an investigation would be launched into the matter.
Security concerns
Omar Abdullah expresses concern over incident
Omar Abdullah, Farooq's son and the current Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, also expressed concern over the incident. He questioned how Jamwal could get so close to his father despite Z+ NSG protection. "What is known is that a man with a loaded pistol was able to get within point-blank range and discharge a shot," he wrote on X. "It was only the close protection team that deflected the shot and ensured the assassination attempt failed," he said.
Security scrutiny
Police have ruled out terror angle
Jamwal told police he had been planning to kill Abdullah for 20 years, as it was his "personal agenda." "I wanted to kill...for the past 20 years. It was my personal agenda. The weapon is my own, issued to me," Jamwal told police. He also claimed he was "lucky to survive" the incident. The police have ruled out any terror angle and said Jamwal appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.