Sambhal News: Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party has alleged that the government and the Vishva Hindu Parishad orchestrated the Sambhal violence. The sensational allegation came on a day when four deaths in the Sambhal violence have been confirmed.
"The police fired bullets and many innocent people died. There was a conspiracy to disturb peace. It was done in view of the 2027 elections," Samajwadi Party leader Javed Ali Khan alleged.
The Internet in Sambhal has been shut down and schools closed. The District Magistrate has prohibited the entry of MPs and MLAs in the region.
Samajwadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman said: "Not just Sambhal, they see every mosque in India as a temple. This is a deliberate attempt to create tension between Hindus and Muslims. This act deserves condemnation, and no amount of criticism is enough."
On Monday, Moradabad DIG Muniraj G said that the situation in Sambhal was peaceful now. "People have started going back to their work. We conducted a morning patrol and observed peace in all areas; there is no issue here. I appeal to everyone to remain peaceful. An investigation is underway into yesterday's incident... Three people have been confirmed dead, and one person died today during treatment. As of now, we have information of four casualties," he said.
Why The Sambhal Clashes Occurred
The recent clashes in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, stemmed from a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, a Mughal-era mosque. The survey was initiated following a petition by a group claiming that the mosque was originally the site of a Hindu temple, Harihar Mandir, which was allegedly demolished by Mughal emperor Babur in 1529. This claim has been a point of contention, leading to heightened tensions in the area as various groups contest the historical narrative surrounding the site.
On November 24, 2024, as a survey team arrived to continue their work at the mosque, protests erupted. Hundreds of demonstrators opposed the survey, leading to violent confrontations with police. Protesters reportedly pelted stones at law enforcement officers and attempted to set vehicles on fire. In response, police deployed tear gas and other crowd control measures to disperse the mob.
The situation escalated quickly, resulting in injuries to over 20 police personnel and the deaths of at least four people during the clashes. The local administration has since imposed prohibitory orders in the area and suspended internet services to prevent further unrest.
Shocking Details In Post-Mortem Examination Reports
The autopsy reports of two of the individuals who died in the violence. The reports revealed that they died after being hit by 315-bore bullets. Such bullets are not used by the police. The 315-bore bullets are usually used in personal weapons, said the police.
The reports of the other two corpses will be out by Monday evening.