The near simultaneous blasts at Gokul Chat, a popular eatery in Hyderabad, claimed lives of 32 people and had left 47 people injured in the horrific act by the members of Indian Mujahideen (IM). 12 others died and 21 were left injured at the open-air theatre at Lumbini Park, a few meters away from the state Secretariat.
The Counter Intelligence Wing of the Telangana Police had investigated the case and seven persons were named as accused, all alleged IM operatives.
Eleven years after the Lumbini Park-Gokul Chat twin blasts, today, i.e. 4 September, 2018, two operatives of the banned terror outfit IM, namely Aneeq Shafique Sayeed and Mohammad Akbar Ismail, have been convicted by the trial court for the said twin blasts that rocked the city and claimed lives of 44 people and left 68 injured. The quantum of sentence will be announced on September 10, 2018.
While convicting Akbar and Aneeq, the court has acquitted the other two accused, namely Farooq Sharfuddin Tarqash and MD Sadiq Israr Shaik, citing lack of evidence. The remaining three operatives of IM are absconding.
Around 170 witnesses were examined during the trial and the final arguments were concluded in August.
The judgement was pronounced by T Srinivasa Rao, the in-charge judge of IInd Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court. The verdict was given in a special court set up inside Cherlapally Jail where all four accused were produced before the judge.
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