Ghaziabad: A youth has been arrested with a countrymade pistol and a knife at a temple in Ghaziabad. The police are interrogating him to ascertain the motive behind his visit to the temple.
National president of the Hindu Raksha Sena, Swami Prabodhanand Giri, was staying at the temple. "He is a Muslim man. He wanted to kill me by entering the temple as a Hindu," Swami Prabodhanand Giri alleged. The security at the temple has been increased. Swami Prabodhanand Giri is originally from Baghpat district, UP. He mostly stays in a Haridwar ashram. He had come to Ghaziabad on the call of the temple servicemen.
The incident took place at Narmadeshwar Mahadev temple in village Ekla Inayatpur of Mussoorie police station area in Ghaziabad.
"A person came to the temple on Sunday evening. He said that he wanted to become a disciple of Swami Prabodhanand Giri," the temple servitors said.
"He stayed in the temple at night. There was some doubt about the man on Monday morning. After this, the luggage of the youth was checked and weapons like a pistol, knife were recovered from the bag. During inquiry, this person said his name is Sameer, but on ID proof his name was Aas Mohammad. On information, the police reached the temple and took this person into custody," the temple staff stated.
SP Rural Ghaziabad, Iraj Raja said, "A person has been caught by the temple staff with suspicious items and countrymade pistol. On getting information, the police reached the spot immediately. This person has come here before and was staying in the ashram. He is being interrogated. It is not yet clear what was the purpose of his temple visit," the SP said.
Security has been tightened at the temple in view of the incident. The name of the youth, who has been caught, has come as Sameer, a resident of Dadri. It is being investigated whether he is a Hindu or a Muslim.
Swami Prabodhanand Giri said, "Under the international jihadi plan, a person named Aas Mohammad had brought a countrymade pistol, knife with the intent to kill me. He came wearing a sage-mahatma lungi and said his name as Sameer. He confessed in front of everyone that he has come with Rs one lakh taken from a person named Salim and has been doing reccee of Maharaj for many days. The police have caught him." —IANS