Farooq Abdullah Escapes Assassination Attempt in Jammu

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah narrowly escaped an assassination attempt late Wednesday night in Jammu, when security personnel overpowered a gunman who fired a shot at him as he left a wedding reception. The incident occurred in the upscale Greater Kailash neighborhood, outside the Royal Park banquet hall, where Abdullah had attended the wedding of the son of party leader B.S. Chouhan. No one was injured in the attack.

The assailant, identified by police as Kamal Singh Jamwal, a resident of Purani Mandi in Jammu and believed to be in his 70s, waited outside the venue and managed to fire one round from a pistol before being subdued. Two police officers, an inspector and a sub-inspector assigned to Abdullah's security detail, quickly disarmed and detained Jamwal on the spot. Authorities recovered the weapon and took the suspect into custody for questioning. Officials described Jamwal as appearing inebriated at the time.

Abdullah, who serves as president of the National Conference and receives Z-plus National Security Guard protection, had arrived at the event around 9:20 p.m. and spent about an hour inside greeting guests before the incident unfolded...