Former Farooq Abdullah narrowly escaped an assassination attempt after a man fired at him from close range outside a wedding venue in Jammu on Wednesday night, police said.

The incident took place in the Greater Kailash area of Jammu when Abdullah and Surinder Choudhary were leaving a marriage function attended by several political leaders.

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CCTV footage circulating on social media shows a man approaching Abdullah from behind and firing a shot at him from point-blank range. According to police, security personnel immediately intervened and overpowered the accused before he could fire again. The suspect was taken into custody at the spot.

Officials identified the accused as Kamal Singh Jamwal, a 63-year-old resident of Purani Mandi in Jammu.

Security personnel foil attack

Police said Abdullah’s close protection team reacted quickly after the shot was fired.

"The security deployed with the protectee immediately swung into action, thwarted the attempt and took the accused into custody," police said in a statement quoted by Press Trust of India. Authorities recovered the pistol used in the incident from the accused.

Officials said Jamwal was allegedly under the influence of alcohol when he was detained. During questioning, he told investigators he had been waiting for an opportunity to target Abdullah for nearly two decades. The leaders had attended the wedding of a party worker’s daughter and were leaving the venue when the incident occurred, officials added.

Political leaders react to the incident

National Conference leaders confirmed that Abdullah and other leaders present at the venue were safe. Tanvir Sadiq said he had spoken to Abdullah and other party leaders after the incident.

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“I have spoken to Dr. Farooq Abdullah Sahab, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Ji and Nasir Aslam Wani. Alhamdulillah, they are safe and fine,” Sadiq said. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is Farooq Abdullah’s son, said the former chief minister had a narrow escape.

"Allah is kind. My father had a very close shave,” Omar Abdullah wrote on X. He added that questions remain about how an armed individual managed to get so close to a former chief minister protected by a high-security detail.

Senior National Conference leader Nasir Aslam Wani said Abdullah was unharmed and described the incident as a serious security breach. Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack.