Stone pelting erupts during Sambhal mosque survey, Police use tear gas to disperse protesters
Violence erupted outside Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid during a court-ordered survey, with protesters pelting stones at the police. Tear gas and lathi charges were used to control the situation, and several individuals were detained. The survey, initiated after claims of the mosque being a temple, resumed once the situation was brought under control, with authorities maintaining a strong security presence.
Tensions ran high in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district on Sunday, November 24, as protesters opposing a court-mandated survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid clashed with police outside the mosque. Protesters hurled stones at officers when they entered the area, leading police to use tear gas and make a lathi charge to drive the crowd back. Several protesters were detained in the process as the forces try to regain control.
The survey commenced at 7:30 AM with the presence of both parties in the row. Initially, the mood was peaceful as the survey party entered the mosque. However, within a few minutes, the crowd gathered outside and started raising slogans and exacerbated protests. Violence led to the authorities suspending the survey. According to reports, a group of individuals started stone pelting from the back alleys. Following police intervention, the situation was brought under control, and the survey resumed.
This occurred after a petition by senior advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain in the Sambhal civil court, alleging that the mosque was originally a temple. A survey was ordered by the court when it was identified by the Hindu side that the structure was the "Harihar Temple". There was another survey conducted on November 19 under the supervision of local police and mosque management.
The situation remains under tight surveillance, with police deployed around the mosque, thereby preventing any further unrest.