Gorakhnath Temple Attack: ATS Reaches Mumbai, Investigates Family Members Of Accused

During the investigation in Mumbai, the father of the accused said that his son is mentally not stable and the offence might have been committed unknowingly.

Gorakhnath Temple (ANI Image)

New Delhi: After the Uttar Pradesh government handed over the investigation of the Gorakhnath temple attack to Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the investigating agency reached Mumbai Monday and found out that the accused Murtaza had not met his family members for the last three years, reported news agency ANI.

During the investigation in Mumbai, the father of the accused said that his son is mentally not stable and the offence might have been committed unknowingly.

"He is not mentally stable. Since childhood, he is suffering from depression. He also received medical treatment. Due to some developments (in his mental health), the accused believed that police were after him," said Munir Ahmed Abbasi, the father of the accused, reported ANI.

"He had no planning and did this due to his current mental state," Abbasi added.

Meanwhile, ATS has found some vital information from the mobile and laptop of the accused. According to ABP News reporter Sanjay Tripathi, several documents written in Arabic language have been retrieved from the laptop of Murtaza, which is being translated by experts. Several instigative videos of controversial Islamic preachers have also been found.

According to the Uttar Pradesh police, IIT graduate Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi Sunday forcibly tried to enter the Gorakhnath Temple premises and attacked two on-duty police constables with a sharp weapon that he was carrying in his bag. 

The state home department has termed the attack at the temple, of which UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the head priest, an act of “terror".

A resident of Gorakhhpur Murtaza after being arrested was presented in the local court which sent him to 14 days in judicial custody.