Drug-Addicted Man Reportedly Trespasses Into Omar Abdullah’s Jammu Residence

A 21-year-old man allegedly entered Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s official residence in Jammu on Friday, triggering concerns over the security arrangements at the high-security premises.

The incident took place in broad daylight at the chief minister’s residence on Wazarat Road while Abdullah was in Delhi. He was meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss issues including the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, rules governing the functioning of the elected government and the Lieutenant Governor, and rationalisation of reservations.

A preliminary police assessment found no apparent terror angle. The man is reportedly a drug addict and officials said there was no indication that he entered the residence with an intention to attack the chief minister.

Despite this, the incident has raised questions over security arrangements for Omar Abdullah. National Conference leaders have repeatedly alleged lapses in the security cover provided to the chief minister and his father, former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah.

The party has linked its concerns to the change in Jammu and Kashmir’s administrative status from a state to a Union Territory, under which law and order falls within the Lieutenant Governor’s domain.

Farooq Abdullah, who is a Z-Plus protectee and president of the National Conference, survived an alleged assassination attempt in Jammu on March 11. A 61-year-old man from Purani Mandi had allegedly tried to shoot him with a licensed revolver during a marriage function but failed.

The alleged attacker, identified as Kamal Singh, later told police that he had wanted to kill Farooq Abdullah for around three decades and blamed him for militancy in Kashmir.

How the Man Entered the CM’s Residence

The accused, a resident of Reasi, had travelled to Jammu with a friend on August 3. Police personnel from the Gujjar Nagar police post allegedly found him roaming in an intoxicated condition that evening.

He was taken to the police post and booked under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

Police contacted his parents, who said they would arrive the following morning because they lived some distance away. They reached the police post on August 4.

Since the alleged offence was bailable and carried a maximum punishment of six months to one year, police were preparing to release the man. However, the officer in charge asked his father to arrange a local person to stand surety and ensure that his son appeared before police whenever required.

While his father went looking for a local surety, the man allegedly escaped from the police post. He climbed a nearby hillock and then made his way into the chief minister’s official residence by scaling the rear wall.

His movements were detected by personnel of the Special Security Group (SSG), which is responsible for protecting the serving chief minister and his immediate family. The security personnel quickly apprehended him and handed him over to police for further questioning.

During interrogation, the man reportedly said he had left the police post because he feared his father would not return.

Officials said he was subsequently booked for trespassing and released on bail.