Sambhal of Uttar Pradesh burnt in the fire of violence on Sunday. There was a huge uproar regarding the survey in Shahi Jama Masjid. The miscreants set vehicles on fire and pelted stones at the police. More than 30 people, including the SDM, were injured in the violence, while five people died. Police have sealed the area around the mosque. The entry of any outsider has been banned till December 1. Police are deployed at every nook and corner.
Firing was also done during the disturbance. However, officials say that the police did not open fire. Moradabad Division Commissioner Anjaneya Kumar Singh has said that the miscreants had come in groups. There were three groups of them, who were firing continuously. Amidst firing and stone pelting, the police safely evacuated the survey team.
Questions are also being raised on this comment of Anjaneya Kumar Singh. Local people claim that the police had also opened fire. However, the officer says that the police had to fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The police had lathicharged.
Police did not open fire – said SP
SP Krishna Kumar Vishnoi said that such videos are going viral at many places, in which it is being claimed that the police has opened fire, but this is not the truth. To control the crowd, the police did not use any weapon that could cause anyone’s death. SP said that FIR has been registered in Sambhal police station. The culprits will not be spared.
Some policemen have also been injured by the firing by miscreants. There was more violence in Deepa Sarai area. The firing incident is being investigated here. Divisional Commissioner said that SDM Ramesh Chandra, Area Officer Anuj Kumar and SP’s PRO were also injured.
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has targeted the Yogi government regarding the Sambhal violence. Akhilesh Yadav has said that the alleged violence over the mosque survey was a conspiracy hatched by the BJP and the government to divert attention from the irregularities in the by-elections in the state.
The officer told the story of the ruckus
Divisional Commissioner of Moradabad said that the survey started in the mosque from seven in the morning. The survey continued for about two hours. The Muslim side had also agreed to the survey of the mosque. The survey was conducted under the supervision of both the parties. The survey was conducted peacefully and smoothly, but meanwhile a crowd gathered outside the mosque and started shouting slogans. Then started pelting stones at the police. According to the Divisional Commissioner of Moradabad, some of the crowd was probably instigated by persons with vested interests, whose aim was to disrupt peace in the area.
DGP Prashant Kumar has said that the situation in Sambhal is under control. All the local police and administration officials are on the spot. Strict action will be taken against the culprits. At the same time, Hindu side’s lawyer Vishnu Jain has said that on the orders of Chandausi Court, the Advocate Commissioner has completed the survey, the report of which he will present in the court by November 29. Youths named Naeem, Bilal, Noman, Kaif and Ayaan have died in the violence.
Survey conducted on court orders
The Hindu side claims that at the place where Jama Masjid is located today, there used to be a Harihar Temple. The Hindu side had filed a petition in the local court regarding this. The court had ordered a survey of the mosque. The Hindu side claims that the Harihar temple was demolished by Emperor Babar in 1529.
