Watch | 'Was waiting for 20 years': Video shows exact moment of assassination bid on Farooq Abdullah

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah had a close shave on Wednesday night as a gunman opened fire on him from behind in Jammu.

At the time of the incident, Abdullah was leaving a marriage function in the city. The senior leader was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and adviser to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Nasir Aslam Wani.

The accused was identified as Kamal Singh, a 63-year-old resident of Purani Mandi in Jammu. According to the police, he was waiting for an opportunity to assassinate Abdullah for the last 20 years. He said he lived on rent from several shops, which he let out.

Omar Abdullah said that Singh was able to get to a point-blank range with a loaded pistol.

“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.”

Meanwhile, the police said that the security acted swiftly and detained the accused.

“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,” the police said in a statement, adding that the pistol used in the attempted murder was seized.

“Further investigation is underway,” police said.

The police has also recovered a CCTV camera footage that shows the gunman approaching Abdullah from behind and firing a shot at him from very close range.

The accused was overpowered by two security personnel and 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.