Attack on Abdullah matter of ‘great concern’, says Centre; NC chief recalls chilling moment

JAMMU/NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday termed the murderous attack on National Conference president Farooq Abdullah a matter of “great concern”, even as the 88-year-old former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister recounted the chilling assassination bid in Jammu and lauded security personnel saying he is alive as they showed “immense courage”.

The incident, which found its echo in Parliament, occurred on Wednesday night while Abdullah, a Z+ category protectee, was leaving a wedding function in Jammu’s Greater Kailash area.

As Abdullah walked toward his car, 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal approached him from behind and fired a shot. Abdullah, who initially mistook the sound for firecrackers, felt a “burning sensation” but was unhurt.

A second shot was averted when an alert police officer and an NSG commando overpowered Jamwal, pinning him to the ground and causing his pistol to misfire.

Jamwal, a resident of Purani Mandi in Jammu, told investigators he had been “waiting for 20 years” to target Abdullah due to a personal grudge. He has been remanded to five-day police custody.

“I am fine and God has saved me,” Abdullah told PTI. “The assailant managed to get right behind my neck. My security stood in front of me and showed immense courage.”

Talking to reporters, Abdullah said a proper inquiry should be conducted to determine the reasons behind the attack.

“There should be a proper inquiry into this matter. Now it is up to them to investigate and find out why this happened and what the reason was. These kinds of things keep happening nowadays…where an atmosphere of hatred has been created,” he said.

Abdullah credited his survival to the swift reactions of his Special Security Group (SSG) and NSG cover. “They stood in front of me and showed immense courage. That is why I am alive.”

“I do not have enough words to praise them. There were people in the room with me, including local police personnel, security men who stayed with me, and members of the NSG, who stood in front of me to protect me,” he said.

The attack dominated proceedings in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, leading to sharp exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches.

The government is taking the assassination bid with utmost seriousness, Leader of the House and Union minister J P Nadda said. The statement came in response to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s allegation that there seemed to be a conspiracy to eliminate Abdullah – who has Z+ category security – and blaming revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood for the incident.

“A murderous attack on Abdullah is a matter of great concern and a very serious matter…,” Nadda said, adding a thorough investigation is being conducted to ascertain the motive of the arrested assassin and to prevent any such security lapse in the future.

He assured the members that “appropriate action will be taken”.

Accepting the severity of the attack on Abdullah, Nadda strongly rebutted the opposition’s attempt to use the security breach to comment on the political status of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Reaching a conclusion that this happened because (Jammu and Kashmir) was not given statehood… and making allegations that there is in a way a conspiracy being hatched to kill him… is condemnable,” Nadda said.

Kharge raised the issue when the House met for the day, saying the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister’s security was at risk.

“His security is under threat because statehood of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked,” the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said.

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir today is because security is with the Union Home Ministry after the revocation of statehood, Kharge alleged. “Law and order has broken down and conspiracy is being hatched to eliminate important leaders.”

Following the assassination bid, the highest levels of the government established contact with the NC leader which included Union Home Minister Amit Shah who spoke to Abdullah on Wednesday night and checked on his well being.

Shah assured him that the motive of the assassin would be fully ascertained and the investigation would be transparent.

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha also spoke to Abdullah, confirming that DGP Nalin Prabhat has been directed to “leave no stone unturned” in the probe.

The attack has forced an immediate rethink of VIP security protocols. The NSG has announced a comprehensive security audit for all nine high-risk dignitaries under its cover which includes Abdullah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh Yogi Adityanath and Chandrababu Naidu, respectively.

In Jammu, the NC staged a massive protest march, with leaders like Ajay Sadhotra demanding that law and order be handed back to the elected chief minister.

Meanwhile, residents of the attacker’s locality, Purani Mandi, expressed “shame” over the act, describing Jamwal as a man whose nature appeared “normal” to his neighbours for decades.

“We are ashamed that such a thing has happened. These things should not occur. If someone has any dispute or grievance with anyone, there are courts, and their doors are open,” Ritesh Gupta, president of the Purani Mandi Traders Association, said.

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir issued a unanimous condemnation of the assassination attempt on Abdullah.

Leaders from the BJP, the Congress, and PDP set aside their differences to demand a transparent probe and immediate accountability for the security breach.

The BJP termed the attack “unfortunate” and sought an exhaustive investigation.

Party spokesperson Sunil Sethi emphasised that political differences must be resolved through constitutional means.

“The BJP firmly opposes such acts. Targeting political leaders through violence is unacceptable and threatens the very fabric of democratic functioning,” Sethi said.

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti described the incident as a “grave” matter.

“It is a serious concern that someone carrying a weapon managed to reach so close to a senior leader who has served as chief minister,” Mehbooba said, calling for a thorough probe into the specific lapses that allowed the assailant entry.

The Congress described the firing as “shocking” and a reflection of the deteriorating security scenario.

J&K Congress president Tariq Hamid Karra and senior party leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir demanded that those responsible for maintaining law and order be held strictly accountable.

Beyond the borders of the UT, Manjit Singh GK, former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, praised the Abdullah family’s long-standing support for minorities.

He noted that from Sheikh Abdullah to current CM Omar Abdullah, the family has consistently championed secularism and education, making the attack an “affront to democratic values”. (PTI)