A purported video of the Gorakhnath temple attack accused, Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi, has surfaced on social media in which the 29-year-old Bombay IIT-graduate is heard saying that he took the step because he felt that Muslims were being harassed. He mentioned CAA-NRC and Karnataka.
The video, in which Abbasi is shown sitting with a bandaged hand, appears to have been shot by police during his questioning.
Abbasi, a resident of Gorakhpur, is in the custody of Anti-Terrorism Squad of UP Police and is being kept at the ATS headquarters in Lucknow.
The audio in the purported clip is not clear. Abbasi is heard saying that after purchasing a khurpi (a sharp-edged tool), he took a tempo to reach Gorakhnath temple gate where police were deployed. He is also heard saying that he came to Gorakhpur from Nepal.
In another video, Abbasi is heard saying that after policemen came to his house, he fled to Nepal.
Speaking to mediapersons, Additional Director General (Law & Order) Prashant Kumar said that he had said earlier that there was a big conspiracy behind the incident. “Police are looking into all the aspects of the case. All the allegations made by the accused will be verified during the probe,” he said.
On the mental condition of Abbasi, Kumar said, “If the accused claims so, we will get a psychological assessment done by experts as per norms.”
On Sunday night, Abbasi attacked PAC personnel deployed at the gate of the Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur and injured two policemen.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the head priest of the temple.
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