Farooq Abdullah’s first reaction after assassination attempt: ‘The killer always has an advantage’ | India News

Farooq Abdullah (PTI file photo)

New Delhi: After the attempt on his life, former Dr Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah reflected on the incident on Thursday, saying, “God saved me.”Sharing brief details about the exciting moments at a wedding ceremony in Jammu’s Greater Kailash area, the NC chief told reporters, “I was leaving the venue when I heard firecrackers. Immediately I was put in a car. Later, I was told, there was a man with a pistol who fired two shots. I do not know this man (accused), nor do I have any information about him.

Farooq added, “I don’t know what his (accused Kamal’s) intention was. It would be a big understatement to call it security lapse. Many big personalities were present at the wedding, but there was no police presence. By the grace of Allah, my security was with me, and my life was saved. I got a call (as the Union Home Minister and they wanted to investigate me). There should be an investigation. Things happen when there is now a situation of hatred….No religion teaches hatred, only love…”He also reflected on the changed power dynamics in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, which made the state a Union Territory and brought law and order under the direct control of the Centre. He said, “The central and union territory governments should see if the situation here has really improved. We may have differences of opinion, but we have to work together because we are a democracy and we have to express our views…”Speaking to reporters, Farooq once again demanded the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. “An elected government has no power—how can it continue? We were promised that statehood would be restored…”“No matter how much you increase security, the killer always has an advantage. The problem is that we live in an age where terrorism has skyrocketed, and we cannot control it,” he added.This was Abdullah’s first reaction after Kamal Singh Jamwal, a 63-year-old man, suddenly opened fire at the wedding venue, allegedly firing two rounds at the former chief minister and longtime National Conference leader.CCTV footage from the scene showed that the tense situation was quickly brought under control by Abdullah’s security personnel.Officials said that Farooq, along with Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chaudhary, was returning from a wedding ceremony when the incident took place.The suspect was quickly subdued and detained at the scene, preventing any harm to the leaders.Son of Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Dr Omar Abdullah took to social media to report a “very close shave” during the show and raised questions about a possible safety lapse.“Allah is merciful. My father had a very close shave. Details are sketchy at the moment but what is known is that a man with a loaded pistol managed to enter point blank range and fire a shot. It was only the close security team that deflected the shot and ensured that the assassination attempt was foiled. There are many more questions to be answered including that Z+ was not able to answer in a limited way at the moment. NSG protected the former CM,” Omar Abdullah. said in a post on X.