Jammu/New Delhi, March 12 – The Centre on Thursday described the attack on National Conference President Farooq Abdullah as a "serious concern", even as the 88-year-old former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister recounted the assassination attempt in Jammu and praised the security personnel, saying he was safe due to their "courage".
The incident, which took place on Wednesday night, occurred while Abdullah, who had Z+ level security, was leaving a wedding function in Jammu's Greater Kailash area.
As Abdullah walked towards his car, 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal approached him from behind and fired a shot. Abdullah, who initially thought the sound was from firecrackers, felt a "burning sensation" but was unharmed.
A second shot was averted when a police officer and an NSG commando overpowered Jamwal, pinning him down and causing his gun to misfire.
Jamwal, a resident of Purani Mandi in Jammu, told investigators that he had been "waiting for 20 years" to target Abdullah due to a personal grudge. He has been remanded in police custody for five days.
"I am fine, and God has saved me," Abdullah told
