The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to take over the probe into the Gorakhnath temple attack after the Uttar Pradesh anti-terror squad (ATS) invoked the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against accused Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi, additional director general (law and order) Prashant Kumar said on Sunday.
The ADG further said that Abbasi has been booked under section 16 (terrorist act), section 18 (terror conspiracy), section 20 (being a member of a terrorist gang or organization) and section 40 (offence of raising fund for a terrorist organization) of the UAPA.
The UAPA, known as an anti-terror law, allows the investigating agencies to get a longer remand of the accused and an extended duration to file a charge sheet.
“It is likely that the NIA will take over the Gorakhnath temple case as UP ATS invoked UAPA,” Kumar said.
A senior police official said information about the case is already being shared with the NIA, adding that the national agency had earlier taken over the probe into the alleged al-Qaeda linked terror module unearthed by the ATS in Lucknow after the arrest of five people on July 11 and 13, 2021.
“In the Gorakhnath temple attack case, there are sufficient records, evidence and financial transactions related to terror funding to establish the charges of UAPA against the accused,” the police official said.
Abbasi, an IIT-Mumbai graduate, tried to forcibly enter the Gorakhnath temple premises on April 3. When the security personnel tried to stop him, he attacked them with a sickle, injuring two constables of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC). He was soon overpowered by other security staff and arrested. The security staff seized the sickle used in the attack and a knife from his possession.
{{/usCountry}}Abbasi, an IIT-Mumbai graduate, tried to forcibly enter the Gorakhnath temple premises on April 3. When the security personnel tried to stop him, he attacked them with a sickle, injuring two constables of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC). He was soon overpowered by other security staff and arrested. The security staff seized the sickle used in the attack and a knife from his possession.
{{/usCountry}}He was sent to 14-day judicial custody after his police custody ended on Saturday afternoon, they added.
The Gorakhnath temple premises in Gorakhpur also houses the residence of chief minister Yogi Adityanath as the head priest of the temple. The CM was not in the temple premises at the time of the attack.