Gorakhnath temple attacker Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi sentenced to death by NIA court

Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi who tried to forcibly enter Gorakhnath temple premises and attacked security personnel with a sickle in April last year was sentenced to death on Monday.

Lucknow:Gorakhnath Temple attack accused Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi was sentenced to death on Monday. An NIA court in Lucknow sentenced Abbasi to death after 60 days of continuous hearing. He had been convicted on Saturday. On April 3, 2022, Abbasi, an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) graduate tried to forcibly enter Gorakhnath temple premises and attacked the security personnel deployed there.

In the incident, two constables of the Provincial Armed Constabulary were injured. Special judge Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi sentenced Abbasi to the death penalty in Section 121 (attempting to wage war against India) and life imprisonment in Section 307 of the Indian Penal Court.

The FIR in the matter was lodged on April 4, 2022, on the basis of a complaint from Vinay Kumar Mishra. Mishra had stated that Abbasi tried to forcibly enter the temple premises on April 3 and attacked the security personnel deployed there with a sickle, injuring two Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) constables. At the time of arrest, the sickle was recovered from his possession.

The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) probed the matter and the Uttar Pradesh Home Department had also termed it as a possible terror incident.