NC President Farooq Abdullah narrowly escapes assassination attempt at Jammu wedding venue

Jammu: National Conference President Farooq Abdullah and Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary narrowly escaped injury on Wednesday night when a gunman opened fire outside a wedding hall in the city's outskirts, authorities said.

The suspect, identified as Kamal Singh Jamwal, a resident of the Purani Mandi area, was swiftly subdued by security personnel and taken into custody for interrogation.

The assassination attempt occurred in the upscale Greater Kailash neighbourhood as the two leaders were exiting a reception for the son of party colleague B.S. Chouhan. According to officials, the assailant, a man in his 70s, had been waiting outside the venue as the political motorcade prepared to depart.

"The accused, who is in his 70s, was waiting outside the venue and tried to fire on Abdullah," an official stated. Two police officers, an inspector and a sub-inspector intervened to disarm the man, but he managed to discharge a single round before being restrained.

No injuries were reported in the exchange. Preliminary investigations suggest that Jamwal was in an inebriated state at the time of the shooting.

The incident has prompted a review of security protocols for the region's high-profile officials, coming as Deputy Chief Minister Choudhary expressed concerns over a "total lapse" in local police arrangements.

With inputs from PTI