Tensions remain high in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, after a survey scheduled at the historic Jama Masjid sparked violence. Despite heavy police deployment and barricading around the mosque from early morning, a large crowd gathered and began throwing stones at the police, escalating the situation into chaos.
According to the Indian Media (News 18), the violence began when protesters set fire to police vehicles and threw stones at the officers. In response, the police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, and several individuals were taken into custody during the clashes. The district magistrate and police superintendent, who had arrived by 6 AM, oversaw the operation while additional forces from five police stations were deployed to control the situation.
Sambhal’s Superintendent of Police, Krishna Kumar, explained that the survey had been ordered by the court following a claim by the Hindu side that the mosque had been built over the ruins of an ancient Hindu temple, Hari Har Mandir, destroyed by Mughal Emperor Babur in 1529.
The court had directed the survey to be carried out under strict security, but the protestors attempted to disrupt the process with stone pelting and other acts of violence. Despite the unrest, the survey was successfully completed, and authorities have stated that the situation is now under control.
Uttar Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister, Keshav Prasad Maurya, assured that strict action would be taken against the instigators of the violence. The legal dispute over the mosque’s location has sparked significant tension in the region, and the authorities have warned that any further attempts to disrupt peace will be met with force.
