Toll in Sambhal clashes rises to 4 as police confirm death of 19-year-old due to ‘gunshot wounds’

Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said the three who were killed sustained bullet injuries during the clashes.

“Three men were killed, primarily due to bullet wounds, while around 20 police personnel, including the SP’s public relations officer, sustained injuries from bullet fragments and have been admitted to a local hospital,” said Singh.

The dead were identified as Naeem, a resident of Kot Kurvi locality; Bilal of Sarai Tareen; and Numan of Hayat Nagar in Sambhal. Their bodies were handed over to their families Sunday evening after autopsy, officials said.

“We have detained 15 people, including two women, and are investigating the matter,” Singh said.

The parents of Naeem, one of the dead, claimed their son was killed in police firing. Denying the allegation, Divisional Commissioner Singh said, “Police cannot shoot at themselves (some police personnel also sustained injuries from bullet fragments)… It was the responsibility of the family members to restrain their son if he was planning to throw stones… There were three groups who were firing at each other. We have evidence, but our priority right now is to restore peace.”

Sambhal SP Krishna Kumar Bishnoi said, “Police only used pellet guns. The autopsy report of the three dead says that they died because of gunshot wounds from a .315 bore firearm.”

Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said the three who were killed sustained bullet injuries during the clashes.

The Opposition parties targeted the state government. In a statement, Congress media and publicity department chairman Pawan Khera said videos of the violence showed firing on protesters. “Western UP, which has been a symbol of goodwill and harmony for years, today witnessed three people killed and many injured under a well-planned conspiracy,” he said.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav urged the Supreme Court to immediately “take cognizance of the conspiracy of spreading tension in the name of survey”. He alleged that the BJP government and its administration “orchestrated the violence to divert attention from electoral malpractice”.

Speaking to The Indian Express, UP Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said action will be taken against those who created obstruction in the execution of the court’s order. On the deaths, he said, “Government will get a probe conducted into the incident. No one is allowed to take law into their own hands.”

Sambhal District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya said Internet services have been shut in the area for 24 hours, along with schools. Prohibitory orders have also been imposed.

The clashes erupted when a court-appointed advocate commissioner and six members of his team entered the mosque for a second survey around 7 am. The first survey, ordered by the court, was conducted on November 19, after a priest moved an application claiming that a temple once stood at the mosque site and that it was demolished in the 16th Century.

The petition was filed November 19 afternoon, and within hours, the court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) Aditya Singh appointed an advocate commissioner and directed him to carry out an initial survey at the mosque, which was done the same day. The court also directed that a report of the survey be filed before it by November 29.

Divisional Commissioner Singh said the second survey had to be conducted on court orders between 7 am and 11 am Sunday.

“The survey team along with the advocate commissioner of the court, District Magistrate and a team of security personnel reached the spot for the survey. Groups of people soon reached the site and started raising slogans and pelting stones,” he said.

Officials said the stone pelting subsided for some time but resumed on a bigger scale when the survey team was leaving the site after finishing their work around 11 am. “There were three groups, one on the left, one on the right and another on the central road. They began throwing stones at police and members of the survey team,” said Singh.

“Police used force to remove the crowd so that the survey team could be rescued safely. They also used tear gas and plastic pellets but then a group of people started burning vehicles. Amid the clashes, a group of people opened fire, we do not know from where or which side did that,” said Singh.

SP Bishnoi said a search operation has been launched to nab those involved in the violence. “We have identified 15 people so far, made arrests and the process is on to nab others. They will be booked under the National Security Act (NSA),” he said.

District Magistrate Pensiya said, “We are in contact with local Muslim leaders and clerics, and they have all agreed that communal harmony in the district will not be disturbed. I have instructed that anyone found spreading rumours through social media or by any other means will face legal action.”

On Sunday evening, the usually bustling market near the mosque was dark and quiet. Several teams of security personnel stood on guard, with all shops, except a few selling medicines, shut.

It was at one such medicine store that a group of men were standing, around 300 metres from where the protest broke out. “We are scared. We do not want to say anything…,” said one of them.

Earlier in the day, as the crowds gathered on the arrival of the survey team, announcements were made from the mosque, saying, “The exercise is being carried out under court orders, so please do not interfere with the process or engage in violence. Kindly disperse.” The crowd, however, refused to budge.

Mohammed Sameer, a member of the local aman (peace) committee, said those who indulged in the violence were not from the locality. “These people belonged to nearby localities. There was not a single person in the crowd from the lane leading to the mosque. I tried to reason with them to maintain peace, but I was also struck by a stone,” he said.

SP Bishnoi also warned the mob, announcing over the microphone: “All those who are throwing stones are being recorded on video and will face serious punitive action. Do not engage in violence; do not jeopardise your career and future. Do not be misled by certain religious leaders who are encouraging you to attack police. Everyone involved will be arrested…”

Masood Ali, secretary of the managing committee of the mosque, said the stone-pelting began shortly after the court team entered the Jama Masjid premises. “We tried to pacify the protesters, but they were unrelenting. No one should engage in violence or hinder the court process,” he said.

Meanwhile, speaking on the court process, Zafar Ali, the mosque committee’s lawyer, said, “We will file the written statement on November 29, when the matter will be heard before the court.”