CM Omar on Jammu gunshot incident

Srinagar, Mar 11: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that his father, National Conference president and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, narrowly escaped a possible assassination attempt during the gunshot incident reported at a function in Jammu.

In a post on X, Omar Abdullah, as per news agency Kashmir News Corner — KNC, said the situation could have turned tragic but the close protection team acted swiftly and deflected the shot.

“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 and discharge a shot. It was only the close protection team that deflected the shot and ensured that the assassination attempt failed,” Omar wrote.

He further said several questions remain unanswered, particularly regarding the security lapse.

“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,” he said.

The Chief Minister added that Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Sogami, who were accompanying Dr Farooq Abdullah at the time, are also safe.

“Thankfully both the Dy CM and Nasir Sogami who were accompanying my father at the time are also safe and sound. The Almighty shielded them,” Omar Abdullah said.