Sambhal (UP), Nov. 25, 2024 — Three Muslim youths were killed in police firing during a protest between locals and forces on Sunday in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, sparked by opposition to a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, a Mughal-era mosque that Hindus claim was a temple.
According to police, protesters allegedly attempted to set vehicles on fire and threw stones at police, who responded with tear gas and batons.
"Gunshots were fired by the miscreants, and some pellets struck our policemen. We are investigating the source of the shots, especially in the Deepa Sarai area," an officer said.
Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh confirmed the deaths, identifying the victims as Naeem, Bilal, and Nauman.
Several police officers, including the gunner of the Superintendent of Police, were also injured.
Tensions had been rising in the area since a court-ordered survey of the mosque began last Tuesday, following a petition claiming the site was once home to a Hindu temple.
Ten people have been detained in connection with the violence, and authorities have launched an investigation. The accused will be booked under the National Security Act (NSA), officials said. Some protesters also attempted to set fire to motorcycles parked near the site.
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav criticized the BJP, accusing the ruling party of orchestrating the violence to deflect attention from electoral malpractice.
The survey began early Sunday morning, with a crowd gathering as the court-appointed "Advocate Commissioner" conducted the examination. Local lawyer Gopal Sharma, who petitioned for the survey, cited historical texts, including Baburnama and Ain-e-Akbari, claiming the site was originally a Harihar temple demolished by Mughal Emperor Babur in 1529.
SP MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq opposed the survey, asserting that the Jama Masjid is a historical site and referencing a 1991 Supreme Court ruling that protects religious places as they stood in 1947.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for January 29.
It is pertinent to mention that since the BJP came to power, the legality of several mosques has been challenged by Hindu nationalists, for whom the Babri Masjid verdict became a catalyst.