A team of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has reached Gorakhpur to investigate the attempted attack at the Gorakhnath Mandir on Sunday night.
Headed by SP STF Abhishek Singh, the team is investigating charges under Section 7 of the Criminal Amendment Act and Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code. The first relates to loitering and the second to attempt to murder.
The police, meanwhile, have been unable to question the attacker, Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi, as he is undergoing treatment after being severely beaten.
On Saturday evening, Abbasi, dressed in a pair of jeans and a full sleeved shirt with maroon and blue checks, had attacked two jawans of the PAC who had stopped him for checking as he entered the Gorakhnath Mandir through the main gate. Abbasi had whipped out a sharp sickle-shaped object when the jawans asked to check his bag. He had also tried to snatch the rifle of one before being overpowered by two other jawans.
A search of his belongings had yielded PAN and Aadhaar cards through which Abbasi’s identity was revealed.
A resident of the Civil Lines area of Gorakhpur, Abbasi has studied chemical engineering in Mumbai in 2015. His family had shifted to Gorakhpur in 2020. Abbasi’s father, Muneer Ahmed, has said that his son is mentally unstable. “He had left home on Sunday afternoon saying that he would be back soon”, said Ahmed.
Abbasi’s wife had recently left him, and he had also lost his job. “He has been extremely disturbed during the last few weeks”, said Ahmed. The family has also speculated that he probably wanted to end his life, hence his attack on the security personnel.
In videos, which emerged after the attack, Abbasi can be heard shouting: “Shoot me".
The two injured jawans—Gopal Gaud and Anil Paswan—are being treated at the BRD Medical College, along with Abbasi.
SP STF said that five teams have been formed to investigate the matter. “A possible terrorist link cannot be ruled out”, said Singh.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath is the head seer of the Gorakhnath Peeth. The temple is revered by those belonging to the Nath sect.
