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. When the police asked them to leave, they became irked and 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, and at least four mobsters were killed too in the mayhem.
As per media reports, seven FIRs have been registered in the matter. In one of the FIRs, Sambhal MP and Samajwadi Party leader Zia Ur Rahman Barq has been named as the prime accused. OpIndia accessed the FIRs registered in the case.
Details of the FIR that named Barq as the prime accused
All the FIRs have been registered under Sections 191(2), 191(3), 190, 109(1), 121(1), 324(5), 326(g), 309(4), 223, and 132 of the Bharatiya Nayay Sanhita, 2023, Section 7 of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1932, and Sections 2 and 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984. Zia Ur Rahman Barq has been named as the prime accused in the FIR. Suhail Iqbal has been named as the second accused along with 700–800 unnamed persons. The FIR in which Barq has been named as the prime accused was registered on the complaint of Sub Inspector Deepak Rathi.
In his complaint, SI Rathi said that a court-ordered survey was conducted under the supervision of Advocate Ramesh Babu Ragha as court commissioner and other team members on 19th November 2024 at Jama Masjid, Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. They visited the mosque again for the survey on 24th November 2024. To ensure law and order, SI Rathi was present at the mosque with other police personnel as per the directions of the senior officials.
When the survey team was conducting the survey at around 9 AM, a mob of around 700–800 unidentified individuals armed with deadly weapons gathered with the intent to disrupt the survey proceedings. Despite repeated appeals from SI Rathi, the Sambhal Circle Officer, and the police force present not to obstruct the court-ordered survey proceedings, the mob became even more violent.
SI Rathi stated that the mob started raising slogans, obstructing government work, and engaging in destructive activities. They pelted stones at the police force, vandalised police and other vehicles, set them on fire, and caused significant damage to public and private property. They also set ablaze shops in the area. During the chaos, an unidentified rioter fired at Circle Officer Arun Kumar Chaudhary with the intent to kill. The bullet hit CO Chaudhary on his right leg, resulting in injuries.
Role of Zia Ur Rahman Barq
According to the FIR, SI Rathi mentioned in his complaint that on 22nd November, Sambhal MP Zia Ur Rahman Barq, who is a resident of Mohalla Deepa Sarai under Nakhasa Police Station area, visited Jama Masjid to offer prayers without taking prior permission from the administration. He subsequently incited a crowd with inflammatory speeches. SI Rathi alleged that the speech was given to create communal discord for political gain.
On the day of the violence, when the mob arrived to disrupt the survey proceedings, Suhail Iqbal, son of local MLA Iqbal Mahmood, who is a resident of Mohalla Miya Sarai under Sambhal Police Station, incited the mob by stating, “Zia Ur Rahman Barq is with us. We are with you. Nothing will happen to you. Fulfil your intentions.” The provocative statements by Suhail made the mob more aggressive, and they started pelting stones at the police personnel present at the scene.
Who is SP MP Zia Ur Rahman Barq?
Zia Ur Rahman Barq, born on 13th July 1988 in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, belongs to a prominent political family. His grandfather, Shafiqur Rahman Barq, was a former MP from the same constituency. Zia pursued higher education at Chaudhary Charan Singh University and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), earning degrees in Law and Arts. Active in student politics, he was associated with the AMU Students’ Union in 2005–06.
Initially aligned with AIMIM, Zia joined the Samajwadi Party in 2017, later becoming an MLA (2022–2024) and MP from Sambhal in 2024. His career is marred by controversies, including six FIRs for electoral violations and a 2024 case involving incendiary remarks about gangster-politicians. Most recently, he has been accused of inciting communal unrest during the Sambhal violence. Zia denies these allegations, claiming a conspiracy by the UP Police against him. His detailed profile can be checked here.
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, Islamist mobsters 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 friendly fire. 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.
OpIndia’s detailed report on petition filed at the court can be checked here.
