On 24th November, violence broke out in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, when a team of local authorities went to Jama Masjid to conduct the second round of a court-ordered survey. Thousands of Muslims gathered outside the mosque during the violence. When the police asked the crowd to leave, the gathered crowd started pelting stones.
The mob set several vehicles ablaze and opened fire at the police using locally made guns. More than 20 police personnel were injured in the ensuing violence, and at least four were killed. As per media reports, seven FIRs have been registered in the matter.
Mobsters pelted stones at Deputy collector with intent to kill, says FIR
One of the FIRs was registered on the complaint of Deputy Collector Ramesh Babu. The FIR was registered under Sections 191(2), 191(3), 190, 221, 132, 121(1), 121(2), 109(1), 12 and 223(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 7 of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1932. In his complaint, Ramesh Babu described what happened on 24th November 2024 when violence broke out during the court-ordered survey of Jama Masjid in Sambhal and how he was severely injured.
He noted that, as per the orders of the District Court, Sambhal, a survey of Shahi Jama Masjid located in Kasaya, Sambhal, was scheduled for 24th November 2024. To ensure law and order, Ramesh Babu, accompanied by Home Guard Himachal and orderly Promod Kumar Sharma, was present at the Jama Masjid while the team conducted the survey. At around 9:10 AM, a mob of approximately 800-900 unidentified individuals, armed with dangerous weapons, gathered outside the mosque with the intent to obstruct the survey proceedings.
He added that he and other police personnel informed the people gathered about the court order and urged them not to disrupt the survey. However, the mob turned violent and started pelting stones with the intention of hindering governmental duties and with the intent to kill. This created an atmosphere of panic at the location. People shut their shops and closed the doors of their houses. Amidst the chaos, stones were pelted at Ramesh Babu by unknown mobsters with the intent to kill, resulting in severe injuries to his left leg and left elbow.
Court-ordered survey at Jama Masjid in Sambhal
On 19th November, a court-mandated survey was conducted at Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. The court ordered the survey in response to a petition filed by Supreme Court Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, and seven co-plaintiffs, asserting that the mosque occupies the site of a temple dedicated to Bhagwan Kalki. The site in question is a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904. The survey was carried out under the supervision of Advocate Commission. A heavy police force was deployed in the area to ensure the survey proceeded peacefully.
However, on 24th November, during the second round of court-mandated survey at Jama Masjid, Islamists gathered outside the mosque and engaged in violence. They pelted stones at police, opened fire at police personnel and set ablaze vehicles and shops. At least 20 police personnel were injured during violence and four mobsters were killed in the mayhem, likely from illegal guns carried by rioters.
In the aftermath of the Sambhal violence on 24th November, police have clarified that the deaths of three individuals occurred due to firing by rioters, not by the police. Post-mortem reports revealed that two victims were shot with country-made pistols, while the a 315-bore bullet was found inside the body of another victim, a type not used by Uttar Pradesh Police. Sambhal SP Krishna Kumar Bishnoi stated that the police initially fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the mob but were fired upon by rioters.
During the survey, however, Muslims living in the area gathered outside the Jama Masjid and raised religious slogans. The District Magistrate of Sambhal confirmed that the survey was completed in around two hours and stated that a report would be submitted to the Civil Court, which will review it on the next date of hearing, 29th November 2024. OpIndia accessed the petition filed by the plaintiffs in the case.
As of now, the Supreme Court of India has stayed the hearing in the District Court, Sambhal, in response to plea filed by the Muslim side. Furthermore, the survey report submitted by the Advocate Commissioner has been ordered to be sealed and not to be opened till an order is passed by the High Court in the matter. Next hearing in the matter will be in January 2025.
OpIndia’s detailed report on petition filed at the court can be checked here.
