Jammu, March 12 National Conference (NC) president and veteran politician Farooq Abdullah described his narrow escape from an assassination attempt as a divine intervention, while raising serious questions about the "total absence" of police deployment at a high-profile wedding where the incident took place.
The 88-year-old former chief minister was targeted at close range on Wednesday night while leaving a marriage pavilion in the Greater Kailash area of Jammu.
"I am fine, and God has saved me," Abdullah told
The assailant, identified as 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal, reportedly told investigators that he had been waiting for an opportunity to kill Abdullah for two decades, as he had a "personal motive."
"I don't know that man, nor had anyone ever told me anything about him. As for his motive... how would I know what it could have been?" he told reporters at his residence.
Abdullah recounted that he was about to step out of the wedding pavilion after the bride arrived when he heard what he initially thought was the sound of firecrackers.
"When the bride arrived, after that we took permission from them and we started leaving for home. I had just stepped out of the wedding pavilion (mandap) and was walking when I heard a sound like a firecracker. I thought someone must have burst a firecracker, because people often do that at weddings," he said.
Abdullah, however, said he later felt a burning sensation but did not realize at the time that it was a gunshot.
"Then I felt a kind of burning sensation, but at that moment I did not realize what had happened. In the meantime, they (security personnel) quickly pushed me into a car, and when they were seated, they told me, 'Sir, it was actually a pistol.' They said that the person had fired two shots at me," Abdullah said.
CCTV footage showed that the gunman had positioned himself directly behind Abdullah, but an alert police officer and an NSG commando held and overpowered the attacker, causing the weapon to misfire and hit the ground.
Asked about a possible security lapse, Abdullah said that it would be premature to make such claims, but said that many prominent people were present at the function, and adequate police arrangements should have been in place.
"It seems like there might have been a security lapse somewhere, but calling it a security lapse is a very big statement. The question is that many prominent people were present at this wedding, so the police should have taken proper precautions. But there was a total absence of police arrangement," he said.
Despite being a Z+ category protectee, Abdullah highlighted a glaring lack of basic security protocols at the venue.
He said the biggest issue is that there was no police presence at all. "Not for me alone, but many prominent people had come to that wedding. It was necessary to have protection at such an event, especially in the kind of environment we are living in today, where such elements exist. Precaution is necessary," Abdullah said.
The accused, a resident of Purani Mandi, remains in custody.
Following the incident, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Abdullah to check on his well-being and assured a thorough investigation into the security breach and the attacker's motives.
"Yes, the home minister also called me. He asked how I was. I told him, 'By the grace of God, I am safe.' He said they had caught the person and that an investigation would be conducted, and they would inform me what exactly happened," he added.
Abdullah said a proper inquiry should be conducted to determine the reasons behind the attack.
"There should be a proper inquiry into this matter. Now it is up to them to investigate and find out why this happened and what the reason was. These kinds of things keep happening nowadays...where an atmosphere of hatred has been created," he said.
Abdullah credited his survival to the swift reactions of his Special Security Group (SSG) and NSG cover. "They stood in front of me and showed immense courage. That is why I am alive."
"I do not have enough words to praise them. There were people in the room with me, including local police personnel, security men who stayed with me, and members of the NSG, who stood in front of me to protect me," he said.
On whether the earlier downgrading of his security could have contributed to the incident, Abdullah said that increasing security alone does not fully eliminate risks.
"Even if you increase your security, remember one thing: the attacker always has the advantage. He knows where he wants to target you and what he wants to do. But I will not say that security should be increased further. That is not the main issue," he said.
He said terrorism continues to be a global challenge. "We live in an era where terrorism is hanging over us like something in the sky, and we cannot completely control it. Terror exists not only in our country but across the world. Anything can happen anywhere," he added.
His son and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had echoed concerns about security on X, questioning how an armed man reached point-blank range.
"There are more questions than answers at the moment... including how someone was able to get this close to a Z+ NSG-protected former CM," he said.
Top officials are currently reviewing security for all high-profile protectees in Jammu and Kashmir, with plans to upgrade convoy jammers and enforce stricter access controls at public events.
