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Three killed in clashes during violent protest against Sambhal mosque survey in Uttar Pradesh
Public Lokpal
November 24, 2024
Three killed in clashes during violent protest against Sambhal mosque survey in Uttar Pradesh
SAMBHAL: Three people were killed as protesters opposing a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque here clashed with security personnel on Sunday.
The protesters tried to torch vehicles and pelted stones at the police who used tear gas and batons to disperse the mob.
"Gunshots were fired by the miscreants and some pellets struck our policemen. We are investigating where the shots were fired from, particularly in the Deepa Sarai area," an officer said.
Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said.
"Three people identified as Naeem, Bilal and Nauman have been killed. Some policemen including the gunner of the superintendent of police have also been injured."
The trouble started on Sunday morning when a large group of people gathered near the mosque and started shouting slogans as the survey team began their work in the Shahi Jama Masjid.
Tension has been brewing in Sambhal sinhce Tuesday when the Jama Masjid was surveyed on the orders of a local court following a petition that claimed that a Harihar temple stood at the site.
Ten people have been detained and a probe has been launched, an official said, adding some people even tried to set afire some motorcycles parked on the roadside.
The official said the accused in the violence would be booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).
Videos of youths throwing stones at police, purportedly near the site of the survey in Sambhal have surfaced on the Internet.
Additional police units have been deployed near the mosque to ensure law and order and officials are closely monitoring the situation.
On Saturday, the Sambhal district administration bound down 34 people on a bond of up to Rs 10 lakh on apprehension of a breach of peace.
Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, who is a petitioner in the case, had said the Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) ordered the constitution of an "Advocate Commission" to survey the mosque.
The court has said that a report should be filed after conducting a videography and photography survey through the commission, he had said.
The Central and Uttar Pradesh governments, the mosque committee and the district magistrate of Sambhal have been made parties in the petition concerning the mosque, Jain said last Tuesday.
Vishnu Shankar Jain and his father Hari Shankar Jain have represented the Hindu side in many cases related to places of worship, including the Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute.
Gopal Sharma, a local lawyer for the Hindu side, told PTI on Friday that in his petition filed in the court, he mentioned that "Baburnama" and the "Ain-e-Akbari" has confirmed that a Harihar temple was at the site where the Jama Masjid now stands.
He also claimed that the temple was demolished by Mughal Emperor Babur in 1529.
The next date for hearing in this case is January 29.
PTI
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