Srinagar, March 12, : Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Thursday questioned how a firing incident could occur against National Conference president and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, describing the episode as unfortunate.
Reacting to the incident, Choudhary said the assailant was quickly overpowered by security personnel attached to him and guards deployed with Nasir Aslam Wani and was subsequently taken to a police station.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the episode was serious given Abdullah’s stature as a former Chief Minister and Union Minister, adding that it was fortunate the veteran leader escaped unharmed.
“Such an incident involving a leader who has been a former Chief Minister and Union Minister is unfortunate,” Choudhary said.
He credited the prompt action of the security personnel for preventing the situation from escalating further.
“The credit goes to my security detail and the security guards of Nasir Aslam Wani who quickly overpowered the assailant,” he said.
According to the Deputy Chief Minister, the accused claimed that he had fired at Abdullah “with his own will,” suggesting that he acted independently.
“You can gauge the situation from the fact that it were my security personnel who took the assailant to the police station,” Choudhary said adding that targeting a senior leader like Farooq Abdullah raises a number of questions.
