Gorakhpur: Armed assailant arrested after attempting to enter Gorakhnath temple
A man armed with a sharp weapon attempted to forcibly enter the Gorakhnath temple in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday evening, injuring two police officers. The assailant reportedly chanted 'Allah hu Akbar' when he attacked the cops. He was immediately overpowered and arrested. The UP police have not ruled out the angle of terror as state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath often visits the temple.
In videos of the incident, the assailant, identified as Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi, is seen waving a dagger and shouting 'Allah hu Akbar' outside Gorakhnath temple, the center of the Gorakhnath mutt. Murtaza continues to lunge at the cops and shopkeepers attempting to apprehend him. A crowd can be seen hurling stones at Murtaza, who is eventually pinned down.
Since the attack, police have launched an investigation into the incident. "ltems recovered from the person makes it seems a big conspiracy was in play and we cannot deny that this could have been a terror attack," said Prashant Kumar, Additional Director General, Law, and Order. In addition to the razor-sharp weapon, a laptop, PAN card, and flight ticket were also recovered from Murtaza.
"Our recoveries are quite sensational and we will share these with you at a later stage. Currently, our investigation is at a preliminary stage. Two cases have been registered and the local police are investigating...but other directions will be passed soon," Kumar said.
Both the injured police personnel and the assailant are currently receiving medical care. The injured constables, Gopal Kumar Gaur, and Anil Paswan were provided first aid at Guru Gorakhnath hospital and are being treated at the BRD Medical College, according to the Uttar Pradesh police. The accused is being treated at a district hospital in Gorakhpur.
The incident has shaken the administration, particularly because it occurred at the chief minister's home base. The CM resides at the temple when he visits Gorakhpur as a result of which Gorakhnath temple is given the highest level of security. Yogi Adityanath is also a member of parliament from Gorakhpur, and he recently won his maiden state election from the Gorakhpur Urban constituency.
