Farooq Abdullah, the 88-year-old President of Jammu and Kashmir’s National Conference, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt during a wedding in Jammu on Wednesday evening. The dramatic incident, caught on camera, shows the assailant, Kamal Singh Jamwal, a 65-year-old resident of Jammu, attempting to shoot Abdullah at point-blank range. The gunshot missed its mark thanks to the quick actions of Abdullah's security team, and the assailant was immediately apprehended.

According to police, Kamal Singh Jamwal, who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, confessed that he had been plotting the attack on Abdullah for the past 20 years. The attack took place when Farooq Abdullah was attending a wedding at the Royal Park in Greater Kailash, Jammu, accompanied by Jammu’s Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary. Thankfully, no one was injured in the firing incident, and the shooter was overpowered by Abdullah’s close protection team, part of his Z+ NSG security detail.

This incident has raised serious questions about the security protocols in place for high-profile leaders. Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and son of Farooq Abdullah, called the incident an "assassination attempt" and expressed concerns about how the shooter managed to get so close to his father despite the high-level protection.

In a post on X, Omar Abdullah shared his relief that his father had survived the attack, stating that the security team’s swift actions prevented a tragedy. He also highlighted the urgent need for further investigation into the security breach and how someone could bypass the stringent measures designed to protect Z+ NSG personnel. Nasir Sogami, an advisor to the Chief Minister, also commented on the event, emphasizing the luck that no one was hurt and noting that the motive behind the attack was still unclear.

The shooter, after being taken into police custody, showed no remorse for his actions, confirming his long-held intention to kill Farooq Abdullah. As investigations continue, the authorities are looking into whether this was a personal vendetta or if there were other factors at play. This close-call incident has sparked widespread concern about the vulnerability of political leaders even with heavy security measures in place.