Man enters Farooq Abdullah's Jammu home, shot dead

A man was shot dead by security forces after he allegedly rammed his car inside the highly guarded residence of National Conference president and MP Farooq Abdullah at Bathindi on the outskirts of Jammu city on Saturday morning.

"There was an attempt of forceful entry into the house of former CM Farooq Abdullah by an individual. He forced his way through the VIP gate in a black Mahindra XUV500,” Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu, SD Singh Jamwal told reporters.

He said the CRPF men on duty tried to stop him but intruder broke the gate of the house which prompted the guards to open fire upon him. “He died on the spot. We found nothing inside his vehicle,” the IGP said and added he was unarmed.

Police identified the slain man as Murad Ali Shah of Kangra, Ghulata, Mendhar in Poonch district. The father of the deceased, who runs a gun factory at Ban-Talab in Jammu, questioned the security forces’ action and asked why didn’t they arrest him instead of killing him.

“He was with me last night. He goes to gym daily and left for that today. I want to know why was he killed. Where were the security guards when he breached the gate? Why didn’t they arrest him,” news agency ANI quoted him as saying. Abdullah, a Z-plus category protectee, was not at home when the incident took place, as he is in New Delhi attending the ongoing parliament session. One security official was also injured in the incident.

Abdullah’s son Omar while confirming the incident, tweeted: “I am aware of the incident that took place at the residence my father & I share in Bhatindi, Jammu. Details are sketchy at the moment. Initial reports suggest an intruder was able to gain entry through the front door & in to the upper lobby of the house.”

Abdullah, his son Omar, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad enjoy Z-Plus security cover as all four are former Chief Ministers of the state and under threat from militants. Special Security Group (SSG) personnel guard them. The SSG is considered to be an elite and highly-trained group within the J&K Police and was set up under the J&K SSG Act 2000 for protection and security of the VVIPs in the state.