JKNC president Farooq Abdullah narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Wednesday as he left a marriage function in Jammu. CCTV footage showed 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal approaching him from behind before firing from a very close range. The police had acted quickly to deflect the shot and quickly overpowered his inebriated attacker. Jamwal later told the police that he had been waiting for an opportunity to target Abdullah for the last 20 years.
“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 and discharge a shot. It was only the close protection team that deflected the shot & ensured that the assassination attempt failed,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wrote on X soon after the incident.
“When we were departing from the function, a man came from behind, and he ran very fast and placed his revolver on the back of Doctor Sahib (Farooq Abdullah), and he fired, but his shot missed. The people who were with Doctor Sahib’s security people caught him in a moment, made him fall, pressed him, and, with great difficulty, we took the pistol from him. Then we left from there and came back home,” NC MLA Ajaz Ahmed Jan told ANI.
Who is Kamal Singh Jamwal?
The police are examining Jamwal’s background — including his personal, social and possible organisational links — to ascertain the motive behind the firing incident. Security arrangements at the venue are also being reviewed to determine how the accused managed to enter the function with a weapon. Efforts remain underway to retrace his steps prior to the attack.
Jamwal is a resident of the Purani Mandi area of Jammu. The 63-year-old told investigators that he earns his livelihood from rent generated by his shops.
“I wanted to kill Farooq Abdullah for the past 20 years. It was my personal agenda. The weapon is my own, issued to me. Today, I got the opportunity, but he (Farooq Abdullah) was lucky to survive,’ India Today quoted him as telling officials.
According to some reports, Jamwal had described himself as the chairman of a little-known organisation called “Jagran Manch”. Eyewitness Rakesh Singh also told ANI that Jamwal comported himself as convenor of the Jagran Manch. |
