Gorakhnath Temple Attack: Cops Say Probe Underway After Video of Accused Emerges

Gorakhnath temple, outside which the attack took place, is the headquarters of the Gorakhnath mutt, of which Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the head priest.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint) 

Video Input: Gaurav Mishra
Video Producer: Shohini Bose
Video Editors: Harpal Rawat, Purnendu Pritam

A video purportedly of the accused in the attack on Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhnath Temple has emerged on social media, which shows Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi on camera, having a conversation with one or more people off-camera.

Gorakhnath temple is the headquarters of the Gorakhnath mutt, of which Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the head priest.

In the video, which seems to be from the day of the incident, when Abbasi was taken to the hospital after the attack, he appears to be confessing to it.

Abbasi can be heard talking about why and how he planned the attack, speaking about his reasons for carrying it out, of which two are the hijab row in Karnataka and the government's CAA-NRC.

Responding to the video, Prashant Kumar, UP ADG (Law and Order) said that an investigation is being carried out over it. The things said by Abbasi in the video will be verified and action will be taken accordingly, he added.

He also said that police is interrogating the accused, who is in the custody of the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS).

What Has Happened So Far?

On Sunday, 3 April, Abbasi was taken into custody after he attacked the PAC personnel stationed outside the Gorakhnath Temple with a sharp weapon while raising religious slogans, the police said.

An FIR under IPC section of attempt to murder and other relevant sections has been registered against him over the attack. Later, the UP government in a press release said that the attack was part of a serious conspiracy, and labelled it a "terrorist incident".

Accordingly, the Uttar Pradesh government has handed over the probe to the ATS.

ADG Kumar had said, "A terror angle to the incident is being probed."

"The case is now with ATS and Abbasi has been brought to Lucknow in police remand. The seized evidence is yet to be analysed," Kumar added.

Speaking to The Quint, a senior police official in the department has claimed Abbasi was on UP Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad's "watchlist" over suspicious transactions linked to extremist groups.

Accused Suffers From Mental Health Issues

Notably, the father of the accused has said that his son suffers from mental health issues and had no plan to commit the offence.

As per his family, Murtaza started having mental health issues in 2017, and had been under observation at several places.

Speaking to The Quint, a neurologist in Ahmedabad who treated Murtaza in 2018, said that he had asked the latter to see a psychiatrist due to the issues he was facing.

He further said that Murtaza was suffering from "anxiety and complained of delusional thoughts," adding that he did not come for a follow-up after the first appointment.