Sambhal Violence: After the order of survey on the basis of the petition filed calling Shahi Jama Masjid of Sambhal as Harihar temple, when the team of court commissioner reached to survey the mosque on Sunday (24 November), there was a ruckus in Sambhal. This ruckus increased so much that the angry mob pelted stones at the police and also set vehicles on fire. During this, 4 people have died and many policemen have also been injured in the violence that broke out. Know the complete timeline related to this violence here
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Senior advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain filed a petition in the court of Civil Judge Senior Division of Sambhal on Tuesday (19 November) calling Shahi Jama Masjid of Sambhal as Harihar temple and the court ordered a survey in a hearing of two and a half hours without even hearing the Muslim side. The court gives seven days to complete this survey.
The court appoints a court commissioner for this survey and on the evening of 19th November, the court commissioner arrives to survey the mosque. During this time, a crowd of local people gathers but the survey team, in collaboration with the mosque committee, does videography in the first phase and leaves at night.
Friday prayers were held amid tight security
On 22 November, Friday prayers are held in this mosque and the police administration is already alert. Friday prayers were offered amid tight security and the prayers were held peacefully. During this time, keeping in view the crowd, police from 7 police stations and CCTVs kept a watch.
A frenzied crowd bent on violence was seen pelting stones at the police
After this, on 24 November (Sunday) at 7 am, the team goes to Shahi Jama Masjid for the second phase of survey. The survey team enters the mosque and the policemen stand outside the mosque. Meanwhile, the violent mob starts pelting stones at the police. After this stone pelting, the police also fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. During this, there was so much stone pelting that 4 people died in this violence and many policemen were also injured. Amidst this chaos, the survey of the mosque stops and then starts again when peace is restored. After this, at 11 o’clock the survey team completes its work and leaves.
Schools and internet services closed in Sambhal tehsil
In view of the violence, the administration has ordered all schools from nursery to 12th standard to remain closed on 25th November in Sambhal tehsil and has also shut down internet services in Sambhal tehsil. So far, the police have taken 21 people into custody related to this violence. Along with this, no leader or organization will be allowed to enter the city without permission.
The Muslim side is citing the Place of Worship Act 1991
On the other hand, many Muslim leaders from the Muslim side are citing the Place of Worship Act 1991 and saying that we are not in favour of the survey. Former SP MP ST Hasan has said that ordering a survey is a violation of the Act and till when will we be harassed?
Moradabad commissioner Anjaneya Kumar Singh told the reason for the firing
In the incident of stone pelting in Sambhal, the police was accused of firing bullets. On this incident, Moradabad Commissioner Anjaneya Kumar Singh said, the police did not fire bullets, efforts are being made to spread rumours. We will not spare anyone who tries to disturb the peace of Sambhal, no matter how high a position he holds. The law is equal for everyone.
What did Akhilesh Yadav say on Sambhal violence?
On Sambhal violence, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav wrote on Twitter – “Along with the appeal for peace in Sambhal, it is also an appeal that no one should lose hope for justice. The order of injustice does not last long, the government will change and the era of justice will come.”
Mayawati said that the government and administration are responsible
BSP supremo Mayawati said about the Sambhal violence that after the by-election results, there is a situation of tension in Sambhal and Moradabad. The government and administration are responsible for what happened during the survey in Sambhal. The administration should talk to both sides in Sambhal, the people of Sambhal should maintain peace.
BJP government is responsible for the death of people in Sambhal- Rahul Gandhi
On the violence in Sambhal, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter – “The biased and hasty attitude of the state government on the recent dispute in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh is very unfortunate. My deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the violence and firing. The action taken by the administration without listening to all the parties and insensitively worsened the situation and caused the death of many people – for which the BJP government is directly responsible.”
Police, administration and government are failures – Chandra Shekhar Azad
On Sambhal violence, Nagina MP and Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) national president Chandra Shekhar Azad said, “4 people lost their lives in the Sambhal incident. Violence is not the solution to anything. There is a reason behind every violence, it is important to know it. The continuous exercise to show one’s dominance over a religious place and take it into one’s own hands is not good. This is a failure of the police, administration and the government.”
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