Gorakhnath temple attack: Gorakhnath temple attack: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Monday (January 30) awarded death sentence to Murtaza Abbasi, who was arrested in connection with an attack on security personnel stationed outside the famous Gorakhnath temple in Uttar Pradesh Gorakhpur. The incident took place in April, 2022.
Accused Murtaza Abbasi had attacked Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel stationed at the Gorakhnath temple. Abbasi, a chemical engineer by profession, was arrested by other security personnel and locals after a brief chase as he tried to flee from the spot.
Abbasi, an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) graduate, tried to forcibly enter the Gorakhnath temple premises on April 3, 2022 and attacked the security personnel deployed there with a sickle, injuring two PAC constables.
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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.
According to the Uttar Pradesh ATS, which was probing the case, Abbasi had sworn allegiance to terror organisation Ansar-ul-Tauheed in 2013 which merged with the ISIS in 2014. He took oath for the ISIS in 2020, ATS officials said.
"The accused while following the terror ideology of the ISIS had attacked in a 'lone wolf attack' style at the police personnel posted at the south gate of Gorakhnath temple. He had also tried to snatch the rifle of the security personnel posted there," the ATS had said.
