Sambhal. There was a lot of uproar on Sunday during the survey of Jama Masjid in Sambhal. Three people died in the violence. Let us tell you that as soon as the survey started in Jama Masjid on Sunday on the orders of the court, people became violent. The crowd gathered outside the mosque pelted stones and set the vehicles of the policemen on fire.
The police had a tough time controlling the miscreants who arrived in different groups and had to open fire. Three people died in the face-to-face firing between the police and the miscreants.
Internet service shut down to stop rumors
More than 30 policemen including SDM, CO, SP’s PRO were injured in stone pelting by the miscreants. More than 20 miscreants have been detained by the police. Sambhal market is closed since the incident. Internet service has been shut down to stop rumors. Commissioner Anjaneya Kumar Singh and DIG Muniraj ji are camping in Sambhal itself.
The commissioner said that after Jama Masjid, stone pelting was also done in Nakhasa area. Some people including women have been detained from there. On November 19, senior advocate Vishnu Jain had presented the claim of Harihar temple in Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid in the court of Civil Judge Senior Division. On this, the court had ordered a survey. After getting the videography done that day, the team returned.
The team had reached the mosque for survey on Sunday
To conduct the second phase survey, the team reached the mosque at 7 am on Sunday with Advocate Commissioner Ramesh Raghav and plaintiff’s advocates Vishnu Jain and Shri Gopal Sharma, advocate Vishnu Sharma on behalf of the central government and the head of the Jama Masjid Committee.
Advocate Commissioner Ramesh Raghav was getting the mosque videographed in the presence of DM and SP after blocking the surrounding area, when in the meantime a crowd started gathering outside. Some people tried to enter the Jama Masjid. The situation went out of control when the police force stopped them. At around 8:30, the crowd started pelting stones.
‘Miscreants raised religious slogans’
When the police tried to disperse them using force, stone pelting and firing also started. The miscreants, while raising religious slogans, set fire to a police inspector’s car and two police inspectors’ motorcycles and several other vehicles. After this, the police force and the crowd came face to face. The situation did not come under control even after the police fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells, then the police also opened fire. Three youths died in stone pelting and firing. The deceased include Naeem Ghazi, Rumal Khan and Bilal Ansari.
The police remained engaged in controlling the situation
However, the death of three has been officially confirmed so far. The dispute that started from Jama Masjid reached the Muslim-dominated area Nakhasa. The police somehow controlled the situation there too. More than 30 officers and policemen including Bahjoi’s Deputy Collector Ramesh Babu, CO Anuj Chaudhary, Sambhal’s Inspector-in-Charge Anuj Tomar, Asmoli’s Thanadhyaksha Yogesh Kumar, Kailadevi’s Thanadhyaksha Rajiv Malik, Kudh Fatehgarh’s Thanadhyaksha Radheshyam Sharma and Superintendent of Police’s PRO Sanjeev Kumar have been injured in the firing and stone pelting.
After the incident, the situation in the city remains tense. Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar has said that the police is identifying the stone pelters. Legal action will be taken after the accused are identified. He said that the situation is under control at the moment.
This is the court’s order
On the claim of Harihar temple being in Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid, the court has said that before passing any order, it is necessary to hear the other party as well, therefore, notice should be sent to the Government of India and other other parties for hearing, so that a conclusion can be reached after hearing both the parties.
The Advocate Commissioner should submit his spot report to the court on the due date. Since the matter is sensitive, its videography and photography should be done. DM and SP should provide police force on the spot. (This order was given by Civil Judge Senior Division on 19th November)
