Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi, accused of the attack on Gorakhnath temple, has been convicted and sentenced to death by the NIA court. Abbasi attacked the PAC constables guarding the temple from Banke.
Lucknow: Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi, accused of the attack on Gorakhnath temple in April last year, has been convicted and sentenced to death by the NIA court in Lucknow. Abbasi attacked the PAC constables guarding the temple from Banke.
During this, Murtaza tried to snatch his weapons as well. During the hearing in the case on January 28, Murtaza was found guilty of the charges. Special Judge Vivekananda Sharan Tripathi of NIA Court sentenced him to death on Monday. The incident has been considered a case of waging war against the country.
Abbasi, an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) graduate, allegedly tried to forcibly enter the Gorakhnath temple premises on April 3, 2022 and attacked the security personnel deployed there with a sickle, injuring two Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) constables.
He was later overpowered by the security personnel and arrested.
An FIR was lodged against him at the Gorakhnath police station on the basis of a complaint from Vinay Kumar Mishra. The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) conducted the investigation.
Notably, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the head priest (Mahant) of Gorakhnath Temple and has his personal accommodation here. CM Yogi was not at the temple at the time of the attack.
