4 get life term in 2005 Ayodhya terror attack

Prayagraj: A special court in Prayagraj on Tuesday convicted four accused in the conspiracy behind the 2005 Ayodhya terror attack case that had caused death of two civilians, and sentenced them to life imprisonment.

The fifth accused, Mohammad Aziz, was acquitted in the verdict which took 14 years to come by.

All the accused are presently lodged in the Naini Central Jail in Prayagraj.

On July 5, 2005, a terrorist had carried out a suicide bombing attempt, breaching the security of the makeshift Ram temple. Five terrorists subsequently attempted to attack the 'Sita Rasoi'.

All the five terrorists were later gunned down by the Central Reserve Police Force personnel in an hour long encounter. Two civilians Ramesh Pandey and Shanti Devi were also killed in the cross fire.

Seven CRPF personnel were also injured in the encounter, three of them seriously.

Special judge Dinesh Chand said that those involved in the conspiracy behind the 2005 attack were equally guilty as those who actually carried out the attack.

The four accused had provided logistic and material support to the terrorists, who were Jaish-e-Mohammad operatives.