A Jihadi attacks Gorakhnath temple with a sickle !

• 2 policemen injured
• Chanted ‘Allahu Akbar’ while attacking !
• Attacker Murtaza holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from IIT Mumbai

Editorial comment

Yogi Adityanath, a staunch devout Hindu and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, is the Mahant of this temple. Therefore, this temple is the centre of Hindutva. It has become a symbol of Hindu identity. That is why the jihadis have an evil eye on it. Could this attack be carried out to target the identity of Hindus ?

Gorakhpur (UP) – The famous Gorakhnath temple here was attacked by a man identified as Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi with a sickle on the night of 3rd April. He chanted ‘Allahu Akbar’ (‘Allah is great’) during the attack. Two policemen were injured in the incident. Murtaza was later apprehended by security personnel stationed here. The incident took place while Murtaza was trying to enter the temple premises. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the Mahant of this temple. The temple has been targeted by jihadi militants in the past too. A large number of armed Police are stationed there to prevent any untoward incident.

1. The arrested jihadi Murtaza is a resident of Gorakhpur’s Civil Lines. He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from IIT Mumbai. He had come to the temple site in the evening. He was stopped by security guards as he attempted to enter the temple. He then took out a sickle and attacked the Police while chanting Allahu Akbar. Govind Gaud and Anil Paswan were injured in the incident.

Attack at Gorakhnath Temple: UP govt, police suspect terror conspiracy; family says assailant ‘insane’#UttarPradesh #GorakhnathTemple #GorakhnathTempleAttack #Gorakhpur @myogiadityanath @CMOfficeUP https://t.co/UgCFtknLdo

— Free Press Journal (@fpjindia) April 4, 2022

2. Murtaza then tried to flee but was chased by other Policemen and bystanders. Attempts to catch him went on for about an hour. (How will the Police, who take 1 hour to nab a jihadi, deal with armed jihadi terrorists ? – Editor) He was caught later. He was injured as people thrashed him after being caught.

3. When Police questioned him, he revealed his name and where he came from. He had reached Gorakhpur from Mumbai on the morning of 3^rd April. Police seized two sickles, a PAN card, and a mobile phone from him. He is being questioned by Police as well as the anti-terrorism squad. The motive behind the attack is being investigated.

The incident in which a man attacked police guards while trying to enter the Gorakhnath temple, #Gorakhpur, leaving two Provincial Armed Constabulary jawans injured, could be called a terror attack, the #UttarPradesh government said, reports @omar7rashid https://t.co/SGzbpzrFNy

— The Hindu (@the_hindu) April 4, 2022

4. Police continued their investigation after visiting Murtaza’s house. The house was also searched. His father Munir Ahmed has also been taken into custody and is being questioned.

5. The Murtaza family used to live in Mumbai. According to relatives, Murtaza is not in a normal mental condition. (Please note that jihadis who attack Hindu temples, steal from temples, or cause riots are always shielded by saying that their mental condition is not normal ! – Editor) He was missing since 2^nd April and was being searched.