2002 Akshardham temple attack: Ahmedabad crime branch arrests accused Mohammed Farooq Shaikh

The Akshardham temple attack in Gujarat`s Gandhinagar took place in 2002 claiming lives of 32 people.

Ahmedabad: The Ahmedabad Crime Branch on Monday arrested accused Mohammed Farooq Shaikh in connection with the 2002 Akshardham temple attack. The crime branch arrested Farooq from the Ahmedabad airport, who was allegedly involved in the temple blast.

"Accused Mohammed Farooq Shaikh in 2002 Akshardham Temple attack arrested by Ahmedabad Crime Branch from Ahmedabad Airport," news agency ANI tweeted.

The crime branch, in November 2017, arrested accused Ajmeri Abdul Rashid.

Earlier, Adam Ajmeri, Shan Miya alias Chand Khan and Mufti Abdul Qyyum Mansuri were awarded death sentence by the special court set up to try the case under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

While a local youth from Dariapur in the city Mohammed Salim Shaikh was sentenced to life imprisonment, Abdulmiyan Qadri was given a 10-year term and Altaf Hussain was sentenced to imprisonment for five years.

The Akshardham temple attack in Gujarat's Gandhinagar took place in 2002. On September 24, 2002, the attackers using automatic weapons and hand grenades had killed 32 people.

The people who lost their lives include 28 temple visitors, three commandos, including one from NSG, and a constable of the State Reserve Police (SRP).