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

An NIA court on Monday, January 30, sentenced Gorakhnath Temple attack accused Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi to death, after 60 days of continuous hearing. The NIA and Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) completed the investigation of the case within 9 months and Abbasi was found guilty under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and convicted for waging a war against the nation on Saturday. 

#BREAKING | 9 months after incident, NIA Court gives capital punishment to Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi who attacked security personnel at Gorakhnath temple pic.twitter.com/Hf4RX7U6i7

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The Gorakhnath temple attack

On the evening of April 3, 30-year-old IIT graduate Ahmad Abbasi tried to forcibly enter the premises of the Gorakhnath temple. When the security personnel tried to stop him, he attacked them with a sickle, injuring two constables of the Provincial Armed Constabulary. After being arrested, the sickle and a knife were seized from his possession. A joint team of the Special Task Force and the ATS was probing the case.

In the aftermath of the attack, the accused's father Munir Abbasi had told ANI, “He (my son) is not mentally stable. Since childhood, he is suffering from depression. He also received medical treatment. Due to some developments, he believed that police were after him. He had no planning and did this due to his current mental state"

However, during the course of the investigation it had come to light that he was connected to the militant organisation Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). According to UP Additional director general of police (Law and Order), Murtaza Abbasi had taken the oath of fighting for ISIS and was providing financial assistance to supporters of the militant organisation.