A day after IIT graduate Ahmed Murtuja Abbasi was sent to judicial custody for 14 days for attacking two PAC constables with a sharp-edged weapon at the Gorakhnath temple, of which UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath is the head priest, the court has given police one week remand of the accused.
On Sunday, a video of the attack at the gate of the temple in Gorakhpur went viral on social media. Gopal Gaud and Anil Paswan, personnel of the 20th Battalion of PAC, were at the main gate when Abbasi, with a bag in his hand, got into a scuffle with them. Suddenly, he took out a sharp weapon wrapped in a cloth from his bag and attacked and injured the jawans, according to onlookers and the personnel. In the video, Abbasi is seen dodging security personnel brandishing the weapon. Abbasi’s family has claimed he is mentally unstable.
The state home department has said that based on available evidence, the attack can be termed a “terror” incident.
The mobile and laptop data of the accused is being examined and sources told CNN-News18 that some videos of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik were found. Naik, who fled the country in 2016, is wanted by Indian authorities on charges of terror financing, hate speech, inciting communal hatred, and money laundering.
On March 31, intelligence agencies shared with Uttar Pradesh police the profiles of 16 people plotting an attack on the Gorakhnath temple, sources told CNN-News18 on Monday. Meetings were held between the state police and intelligence officials towards the end of March, they said. One of the profiles shared was of IIT graduate Ahmed Murtuja Abbasi, they added.
Sources told CNN-News18 that Abbasi had done funding activities for the Islamic State. He had also allegedly transferred money to Syria for ISIS. He was on the radar of intelligence agencies because of his digital footprints, they added. Investigations later showed that he was trying to carry out some “serious activities”, said sources.
According to sources, Goraksha Peeth may get multi-layer security after the attack.
Prashant Kumar, additional director general of police (ADG), law and order, told News18: “Our officers posted at the site did a commendable job by stopping a man who was raising religious slogans with a sharp weapon in hand. The accused was also attacking people with the weapon and injured two of the security personnel. The additional SP, along with senior officials, reached the site immediately. The bravery shown by security forces is commendable and a cash reward of Rs 50,000 is being given to the three security personnel. Their names will also be recommended for the Shaurya Award.”
“The investigation has been handed over to the ATS to ascertain if there is any conspiracy behind the incident. The team is examining the items recovered from the accused. We are not denying any possibility at the moment. We are also not ruling out terror angle,” he said.
“As per initial information, the accused studied at IIT. The family of the accused is co-operating. The accused is a resident of Gorakhpur. The Aadhaar card obtained from him was made in Mumbai,” said Kumar.
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