Overview
- Legislators in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, which met Saturday, condemned the March 11 shooting at Farooq Abdullah and asked that the investigation report be released.
- Members called it a grave security lapse, citing no police presence, no frisking, and no metal detectors despite his Z+ cover, which is India’s highest civilian protection tier.
- Witnesses said civilians and the Deputy Chief Minister’s chief security officer overpowered the 63-year-old suspect and drove him to a police station in a private car.
- Speaker A. R. Rather said the Home Minister and the Lieutenant Governor assured Abdullah of a thorough inquiry, and MLAs pressed for either a House committee or a judicial enquiry to question senior police officers.
- Sajad Gani Lone linked the case to a long record of political violence, urged a civilian award for the unidentified person credited with saving Abdullah, and warned against using security as a political tool.