Three days after its formation, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the police to probe the abortive attempt to assassinate National Conference president and former Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah, has started questioning the accused, Kamal Singh Jamwal, to ascertain the circumstances leading to the incident.
Sources said that during the initial round of questioning, Kamal Singh Jamwal told investigators that he decided to shoot Abdullah while attending the same marriage function where the former Chief Minister was present. According to the accused, the attack was not pre-planned, and he allegedly took the extreme step after noticing Abdullah at the venue.
SIT formed after attack on Farooq Abdullah
As reported earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir Police constituted a seven-member Special Investigation Team to probe the recent assassination attempt on the National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah in Jammu.
According to official details, the SIT has been formed under the supervision of the Deputy Inspector General of the Jammu–Samba–Kathua (JSK) Range and includes officers of various ranks, including a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP).
An official order stated that the team has been tasked with carrying out a comprehensive investigation into the incident and submitting its findings at the earliest.
The order further stated that on March 11, Abdullah was attending a marriage ceremony at a banquet hall in the Greater Kailash, Jammu area. At around 10:10 pm, while the protectee was leaving the venue, an individual allegedly flashed a revolver and attempted to open fire from close range.
However, the attempt was foiled due to the prompt action of the police personnel deployed with him. Following the incident, a case under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 3/25 of the Arms Act was registered at Gangyal Police Station.
Given the seriousness and sensitivity of the case, police said a Special Investigation Team comprising seven officers has been constituted to ensure a thorough probe.
The SIT members include SSP Sanjay Sharma, SP Headquarters Irshad Hussain Rather, DySP Arvind Kumar Sambyal, Inspector Saroop Singh, Inspector Paramjeet Singh, Inspector Sanjeev Chib—who is also the SHO of Gangyal Police Station—and Inspector Shariq Majeed.
Police said the team has been directed to carry out the investigation expeditiously while adhering to the statutory timeframe.
Elderly man made abortive attempt to assassinate Abdullah
The assassination attempt occurred on March 11 when Dr. Farooq Abdullah was attending a wedding function in the Greater Kailash locality of Jammu. As he was leaving the venue, a man allegedly approached him and attempted to fire from close range using a pistol.
Security personnel, however, reacted swiftly and overpowered the attacker before he could carry out the act. Abdullah escaped unhurt due to the quick response of his security staff and commandos present at the venue.
Police identified the accused as a 63-year-old resident of Jammu who was immediately taken into custody. During preliminary questioning, he reportedly claimed to have harboured a personal grudge against Abdullah for several years.
Officials added that the weapon used in the attempted attack was reportedly a licensed firearm.
After questioning, the 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal was presented before a city court in Jammu amid tight security. Police sought his remand, stating that further interrogation was necessary to ascertain the motive behind the attack and to verify whether the accused had any links with any organisation.
The court granted five days of police remand and directed the police to ensure a proper medical check-up of the accused every 24 hours. Later, he was taken to a hospital in police custody, where he underwent a detailed medical examination.
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