UP anti-terror court hands death penalty to convict in Gorakhnath temple attack

An anti-terror court in Lucknow on Monday pronounced death sentence to Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi, convicted for attacking security staff at Gorakhpur’s Gorakhnath temple with a sharp-edged weapon last year.

Abbasi was convicted by the ATS court in Lucknow on Saturday. According to the FIR, the Indian Institute of Technology graduate had tried to forcibly enter the Gorakhnath temple premises on April 3 last year.

Abbasi attacked the security personnel deployed at the premises with a sickle. Two Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) constables were injured in the incident. He was overpowered by the security personnel and arrested. The Uttar Pradesh ATS had carried out the investigation in connection with the incident.

Prashant Kumar, additional director general of police (ADG-Law and Order), had said there could be a terror angle behind the incident. The Uttar Pradesh Home Department had also termed the incident as a part of a deep conspiracy and could be said it was a terror incident.