A special court of NIA and Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) on Monday has pronounced death penalty to one, Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi, guilty in a case of reported terror attack in Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur on April 3, 2022.

The death penalty was given to the convict under Section 121 and life imprisonment under 307 IPC. The fast-track court had completed the hearing in the case and given the verdict in a record two months’ time.

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The Lucknow-based special court of NIA-ATS of special judge Vivekanand Saran Tripath held Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi guilty on Friday last and pronounced the quantum of punishment on Monday.

The 31-year-old IIT-Mumbai pass-out chemical engineer had been convicted of attacking the PAC personnel present at the entrance of the temple.

The temple premises also houses Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence as he is head priest of the temple.

The court pronounced the verdict after holding him guilty after finding substantial evidence against him produced by the UP ATS.

According to the incident, Abbasi tried to breach the security of the Gorakhnath Temple premises on April 3, 2022 when he attacked PAC personnel Anil Kumar Paswan at the temple gate. In the process, Abbasi injured two other PAC constables.  But the attack was foiled by other personnel present there and he was arrested.

Reportedly, Abbasi also tried to snatch the rifle of a security man.