Jammu: A man who attempted to shoot former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah at a wedding function in Jammu on Wednesday has told police he had been planning to kill the veteran leader for nearly two decades. Authorities, however, ruled out any terror angle and said the attacker appeared to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
The accused has been identified as 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal, a resident of Jammu. According to police, Jamwal used his licensed firearm during the attempt and was immediately overpowered by security personnel before he could cause harm.
CCTV footage from the wedding venue shows Jamwal approaching Abdullah from behind and pointing a pistol at him from point-blank range. He then fired a shot, which missed the target. Security personnel quickly intervened and restrained the gunman.
Jamwal Confesses On Personal Grudge For Past 2 Decades
During questioning, Jamwal reportedly told cops that he had harboured a personal grudge against the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leader for the past 20 years. “I wanted to kill Farooq Abdullah for the past 20 years. It was my personal agenda. The weapon is my own, issued to me,” Jamwal told the police, adding that Abdullah was “lucky to survive.”
Officials said Abdullah had attended the wedding to greet a National Conference leader whose son was getting married. The former chief minister had reportedly been at the venue for more than an hour before the shooting attempt took place.
J&K Dy CM Escapes Death Narrowly
Surinder Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, was also present at the venue during the incident and escaped unharmed. Police said the pistol used in the attack was seized from Jamwal’s possession. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused owns several shops in the old city area of Jammu and earns rental income from them.
Authorities also said Jamwal appeared to be intoxicated at the time of the attack. Following the incident, he was reportedly beaten by some people present at the wedding venue, including supporters of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, before being taken into custody. Police have launched further investigation into the incident, though officials have reiterated that no terror links have been found so far.
