Jammu, 12 March (H.S.):National Conference president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah had a miraculous escape when a gunman opened fire on him after coming from behind while Abdullah was leaving a marriage function here on Wednesday night, officials said.India Venus Mission

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and advisor to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Nasir Aslam Wani, were accompanying Abdullah when the incident occurred.

The accused has been identified as 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal, son of Ajit Singh, and a resident of Purani Mandi in Jammu, who told police that he was waiting for an opportunity to target Abdullah for the last 20 years.

Thanking Allah for saving the life of his father, Omar Abdullah said, “The details are sketchy at the moment, but what is known is that a man with a loaded pistol was able to get within a point-blank range and discharge a shot.” Police said an attempt was made on the life of Abdullah when he was attending a marriage ceremony at the Royal Park in Greater Kailash, Jammu.

“The security deployed with the protectee immediately swung into action, thwarted the attempt and took the accused into custody, who was later identified as Kamal Singh,” police said in a statement.

It added that the pistol used in the crime has been seized from the accused’s possession.

“Further investigation is underway,” police said.

A CCTV camera footage showed the gunman approaching Abdullah from behind and firing a shot at him from very close range.

The accused, who was overpowered by two officers of the security wing of the J-K Police, an inspector and a sub-inspector, was found in an inebriated state, officials said.

Abdullah and Choudhary had come to greet party leader B S Chouhan for the marriage of his daughter. They were at the wedding venue for more than an hour, the officials said.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar