Gunman Allegedly Targets EX-J&K CM Farooq Abdullah; Security Team Foils Attempt, Suspect Arrested

A potentially dangerous situation unfolded when a man allegedly pointed a firearm at former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah, but the threat was neutralised after security personnel swiftly subdued the suspect, according to CCTV footage and officials.

Authorities said the incident took place while Abdullah, who heads the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, was returning from a wedding function. He was accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary when the suspect allegedly attempted to target their convoy.

Officials stated that the man tried to fire at the convoy, sparking panic in the vicinity. Members of Abdullah’s security detail reacted immediately, overpowering the individual before he could cause any harm. The quick intervention ensured that both Abdullah and Choudhary escaped unharmed.

Reacting to the incident, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, son of Farooq Abdullah, shared his concern in a post on X. "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 the assassination attempt failed. There are more questions than answers at the moment including but not limited to how someone was able to get this close to a Z+ NSG protected former CM,"

Security personnel detained the accused at the scene and later handed him over to the police. Officials told PTI that the suspect is currently being questioned and an investigation has been initiated to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Preliminary reports indicate that the man may have been in an intoxicated state at the time. Authorities are examining how he managed to get close to the convoy despite the former chief minister being under Z+ security cover.​