India, March 12 -- Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said he initially mistook the gunshot fired near him at a wedding function in Jammu for a firecracker, adding that "God saved me" from the attack.

Abdullah was speaking hours after a man allegedly opened fire at him while he was leaving a marriage function in Jammu. The shot missed the veteran leader and the gunman was immediately overpowered by security personnel present at the venue.

Recalling the incident, the 88-year-old National Conference president said he was unaware that a gun had been fired at him at that moment.

"I had gone to the wedding. After the event was done, I headed back for my home. The moment I stepped out of the wedding pavilion,...