In response to the unrest, local authorities enforced a 24-hour internet ban in the Sambhal Tehsil area and declared schools would remain closed.
AMN / WEB DESK
At least three people were killed in violence following the survey of Jama Masjid in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh. Anjaneya Kumar Singh, the Commissioner of Moradabad division under which Sambhal district falls, said that when the survey team was returning after completion of the survey as directed by the court, people in three different groups started stone pelting and torching the vehicles.
Reports said, some women were also involved in stone pelting on the survey team and police personnel. Police said, many people have been taken into custody in connection with the violence including some women. Police force from neighbouring districts has been called in and the situation is under control now.
According to reports when people learned about the survey team arriving at the mosque, a crowd gathered near it around 9:00 am. When attempts were made to disperse the crowd, a scuffle broke out, which later escalated into stone-pelting.
The police tried to disperse the crowd by firing in the air. Reports suggest that firing also occurred from the other side. The survey was completed under tight security, and Hindu side lawyer Vishnu Jain was escorted out of the mosque amidst heavy security.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishna Kumar said that the violence was pre-meditated, and those responsible have been identified. The injured policemen have been sent for treatment, and drone surveillance is being conducted in the area.
For the second time, on the court’s orders, a team led by lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain entered Jama Masjid in the early hours of Sunday to conduct the survey. The Hindu side claimed that the Jama Masjid was built on the site of the demolished Harihar temple. A local court ordered the Jama Masjid survey on November 19.
Police said that despite the deployment of heavy forces on Sunday morning, some anti-social elements pelted stones at the team surveying Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal.
Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar said the situation is now under control.
The DGP added that the survey in Sambhal was being conducted under court orders. He said that some anti-social elements pelted stones at the survey team in the presence of police and senior officials at the scene. He assured that the situation had been controlled and that the police would identify the stone pelters and take appropriate legal action.
The survey was part of a legal process following a petition filed by senior advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who claimed the mosque was originally a temple.
A similar survey was conducted on November 19, with local police and members of the mosque’s management committee present to monitor the process. After that incident, the police appealed to the local people in Sambhal not to throw stones at the survey team that had arrived to conduct the survey of the mosque.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav levelled serious allegations against the UP government and the BJP regarding the violence during the survey of the Jama Masjid.
Describing the incident as serious, he questioned why the survey team was sent to the mosque again when the survey had already been completed.
“It was a conspiracy to disrupt the atmosphere and prevent people from discussing the BJP’s wrongdoings in the assembly by-polls,” he alleged.
The SP President said that reports indicated several people were injured, and a young man had lost his life in the violence.
Akhilesh Yadav questioned why the government deemed it necessary to conduct the survey again when it had already been completed, especially without any preparation. He termed the incident a conspiracy by the BJP government and the administration. He accused the government of deliberately inciting violence to prevent discussions on political issues.
Casualties and Injuries
The violence left three individuals dead: Naeem, Bilal, and Nauman. Over two dozen people, including police officers and government officials, were injured in the clashes. Four senior police officers, 20 policemen, and a deputy collector were among the seriously hurt, with a police PRO suffering a gunshot wound to the leg.
3. Magisterial Inquiry Ordered
Following the violence, a magisterial inquiry was ordered to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. Local authorities are working to determine the cause of the clash and identify those responsible for the violence.
Nagina MP Chandra Shekhar Azad demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident. “In India, under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, the nature of any religious place that came into existence on August 15, 1947, cannot be changed. The incident of stone pelting and subsequent police firing during an ongoing survey in Sambhal, resulting in the death of three people, is extremely sad,” he said.
Lawyer Vishnu Shanker Jain, representing the plaintiffs, said the second day’s survey was conducted by Advocate Commissioner from 7:30 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. “During this survey, all features were studied. Videography and photography directed by the Court have been complied with and now this survey has been completed. The report will be presented before the Court before 29th November or on 29th November,” Jain said.