3 killed as mob opposing survey of mosque clashes with police in UP’s Sambhal

The clashes began when a local court-appointed commissioner and six members of his team entered the mosque at the Chandausi town for the second survey at around 7 am. The first survey was conducted on November 19. The survey was ordered after a temple priest moved an application at a local court claiming that a temple existed at the mosque’s site earlier. He alleged that Muslim rulers had demolished it to build the Shahi Jama Masjid in 1529.

“The violence erupted again when the survey team exited the mosque after completing their work for the day. A crowd gathered from three directions and began throwing stones at the police and members of the survey team. The crowd was divided into three groups, and they also started firing shots. In response, the police fired shots into the air and used tear gas canisters to disperse the stone throwers,” said Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh.

“Three men were killed, primarily from bullet wounds, while around a dozen police officers, including the public relations officer of the superintendent of police, sustained injuries from bullet fragments and have been admitted to a local hospital,” said Singh.

“So far, we have detained 15 people and arrested four, including two women who were throwing stones from the roofs of their houses,” added Singh.

The parents of one of the deceased, Naeem, have claimed that their son was killed in police gunfire. However, officials have denied this allegation. “The police cannot shoot at themselves. It was the responsibility of the family members to restrain their son if he was planning to throw stones and disrupt the otherwise peaceful survey process as directed by the court. There were three groups that were firing at each other. We have evidence, but our priority right now is to restore peace in the affected regions,” said Singh.

Sambhal Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishna Kumar Bishnoi said that a search operation had been launched to arrest those involved in Sunday’s violence. “We have identified 15 persons so far, made arrests and the process is on to nab others. They will be booked under the National Security Act (NSA) for being a part of reckless violence,” he said.