Sambhal city in Uttar Pradesh remains tense after violent confrontations over a court-mandated survey of the Mughal-era Jama Masjid resulted in three fatalities and multiple injuries on Sunday. Clashes erupted between police and demonstrators during the survey, which was ordered just hours after a petition claimed the mosque was built on the ruins of an ancient temple.
Authorities have since detained 21 individuals connected to the unrest and responded by suspending internet services and closing educational institutions in the region for a day. Eyewitness accounts and footage circulating on social media depict a chaotic scene with slippers, bricks, and stones littering the area surrounding the mosque.
Protesters assert that police gunfire resulted in the deaths of three men, a claim refuted by authorities. Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar stated to The Hindu, “No weapons were used that could take anyone's life,” emphasizing a lack of lethal force being employed during the clashes.
The Jama Masjid dispute reflects a broader trend of tensions in India, where Hindu groups assert that historical rulers like the Mughals erected mosques on demolished temples. Legal battles pertaining to these claims are ongoing across various courts, backed by several Muslim organizations fighting for their rights to heritage sites.
Tensions in Sambhal intensified after a local court ordered a video-documentary survey of the mosque, following claims that it was constructed after the purported destruction of the Hari Har temple by Mughal ruler Babur in the 1520s. Protesters voiced their discontent, alleging a lack of notice regarding the survey and questioning the rapid judicial actions taken in the matter.
When a second survey occurred on Sunday morning, it drew a large crowd that protested vocally against the survey team. Top police official Aunjaneya Kumar Singh explained the necessity of police intervention, stating that stone-pelting forced them to deploy tear gas and plastic bullets to safeguard the survey crew. Singh confirmed that the three casualties, identified as Naeem, Bilal, and Nauman, reportedly sustained gunshot wounds.
Opposition leaders have criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government, alleging that it has spurred violence for political motives, a claim the government has disputed. Uttar Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak asserted to the Indian Express that law enforcement would not tolerate lawlessness, emphasizing the need for an investigation into the incidents.
Mahmood Madani, president of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, a prominent Islamic scholars’ organization, condemned the ongoing disputes surrounding mosques in India, arguing that they violate the constitutional framework.
