Former CM J&K Farooq Abdullah Narrowly Escapes Assassination Attempt at Jammu Wedding, Attacker Arrested

Former CM J&K Farooq Abdullah Narrowly Escapes Assassination Attempt at Jammu Wedding, Attacker Arrested

Farooq Abdullah, president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt after a gunman allegedly tried to shoot him during a wedding function in Jammu, officials said. Police have arrested the accused and stated that, at present, there is no indication of a terror angle behind the incident.

The accused has been identified as Kamal Singh Jamwal, a 63-year-old resident of the Purani Mandi area of Jammu. During questioning, Jamwal reportedly told investigators that he had been planning to kill Farooq Abdullah for nearly two decades. He claimed the weapon used in the attempt was his licensed firearm and described the plot as a personal agenda. Jamwal, who owns several shops in the old city and survives on rental income, told police that he had finally found an opportunity to target the veteran politician but failed in his attempt.

The incident occurred late Wednesday night at Hotel Royal Park in the Greater Kailash locality on the outskirts of Jammu. Farooq Abdullah had attended the wedding of the son of National Conference leader B S Chouhan. Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani were also present at the event.

According to eyewitnesses, the former chief minister had dinner with guests and was leaving the venue when the accused approached him from behind and pointed a pistol at him from point-blank range.

CCTV footage from the venue reportedly shows the suspect moving close to Abdullah before attempting to fire. However, Abdullah’s Z+ security personnel reacted swiftly and overpowered the attacker before he could cause serious harm.

Officials said Jamwal appeared to be in an inebriated state at the time of the incident. After the attempted attack, people present at the venue, including some National Conference workers, reportedly beat the accused before he was taken into custody by security personnel. The pistol used in the incident has been seized by the police.

Reacting to the incident, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is Farooq Abdullah’s son, said his father had a “very close shave.” In a social media post, he said a man with a loaded pistol had managed to get within point-blank range and discharge a shot, but the close protection team quickly deflected the attack and ensured the assassination attempt failed. Omar Abdullah also raised concerns about how someone could get so close to a former chief minister who is protected by Z+ level security.

Allah is kind. My father had a very close shave. The details are sketchy at the moment but what is known is that a man with a loaded pistol was able to get within point blank range & discharge a shot. It was only the close protection team that deflected the shot & ensured that… https://t.co/hYBe64Eigl

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 11, 2026

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary described the incident as a serious security lapse. He said that when senior leaders, including a former chief minister and a deputy chief minister, are present at a function, such a breach raises serious questions about the security arrangements in place.

The attack has also been condemned by political leaders across the region. Tariq Hameed Karra, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee, called the incident shocking and disturbing, stating that such acts of violence raise serious concerns about the law-and-order situation. He said authorities responsible for maintaining security must be held accountable and that people deserve a safe and stable environment.

Strongly condemn the shocking firing incident on former CM Farooq Abdullah sb & other senior leaders reported in Jammu today. Such acts of violence are deeply disturbing and raise serious concerns about the prevailing security scenario in the region.

The increasing…

— Tariq Hameed Karra (@TariqKarra) March 11, 2026

Police officials said the accused is in custody and a detailed investigation is underway to determine how he managed to enter the venue with a firearm and approach the Z+-protected leader at such close range.