Early Morning Unrest: How It All Began
It was a quiet Sunday morning in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. The clock had barely struck 7:30 am, and the neighborhoods surrounding Jama Masjid were just beginning to stir. Residents were at home, engaged in their morning routines, when a sudden and alarming rumor spread like wildfire: a survey team was allegedly digging inside the mosque.
The rumor ignited a sense of outrage among locals. Within minutes, crowds began to gather outside Jama Masjid, fueled by anger and suspicion. By 8:30 am, the situation had escalated dramatically, with the gathering swelling into thousands. Tensions reached a boiling point when people attempted to force their way into the mosque.
The Clash Between Police and Protestors
As the crowd pressed forward, the police stationed outside the mosque struggled to maintain order. When the officers tried to stop the group from entering, the confrontation took a violent turn. Stones rained down from the rooftops surrounding the mosque, injuring several officers. The chaos forced the police to respond with lathicharge and tear gas, but their efforts proved insufficient to quell the unrest.
Eyewitnesses reported that the crowd, now uncontrollable, began targeting the police with relentless stone pelting. The situation worsened when some alleged that the police resorted to firing to disperse the mob.
Evacuation of the Survey Team
Amidst the escalating violence, the survey team inside Jama Masjid found themselves trapped. By around 9:00 am, the police acted decisively, forming a cordon to evacuate the team. They were safely escorted to the police station, but the violence outside continued unabated.
Reinforcements from nearby districts and rural areas were called in to assist the overwhelmed local police force. It wasn’t until 10:00 am that the authorities managed to disperse the stone pelters and regain some semblance of control over the area.
Tragic Toll of the Violence
The aftermath of the unrest left three people dead, with many others injured, including Sambhal SP Krishna Kumar Vishnoi. The injuries spanned both police personnel and civilians. The violence sent shockwaves through the city, bringing life to a standstill.
Markets across Sambhal shut down, and the once-busy streets were eerily silent, save for the patrolling police vehicles. Despite the police’s efforts to restore calm, sporadic incidents of stone pelting and unrest continued in other parts of the city, keeping tensions high well into the night.
The Historical Dispute Behind the Incident
At the heart of the turmoil lies a long-standing dispute over the Jama Masjid in Sambhal. On November 19, a petition was filed in the court of Civil Judge Senior Division in Chandausi by a Hindu group, claiming that the mosque was originally the Harihar Temple, allegedly built before the reign of Prithviraj Chauhan.
The petition alleges that the mosque was constructed by demolishing the ancient temple during the Mughal era. However, the Muslim community refutes this claim, asserting that the mosque stands on a natural mound and was not built over any temple.
Survey and Court Proceedings: A Trigger Point
On the same day the petition was filed, the court appointed a court commissioner to conduct a survey of the mosque. The commissioner visited Jama Masjid, where videography and photography were conducted for nearly two hours. The findings from this survey are to be presented in court on November 29.
Anticipating unrest, authorities had significantly increased security around the mosque, especially during Friday prayers, which proceeded peacefully under strict vigilance. However, when the court commissioner arrived again on Sunday morning to continue the survey, the situation spiraled out of control.
Police’s Struggle to Contain the Situation
Despite prior security measures, the police appeared unprepared for the scale of the violence that erupted. With thousands of people on the streets, equipped with stones and makeshift weapons, the law enforcement officials were quickly overwhelmed.
The police response included tear gas and lathicharge, but even these measures failed to bring the crowd under control immediately. Residents in the area reported seeing multiple police officers injured and struggling to defend themselves against the onslaught of projectiles from the crowd.
Aftermath and Ongoing Tensions
As the sun set on Sambhal, the city remained under a cloud of unease. Despite the police dispersing the initial mob, sporadic violence and stone pelting continued in other neighborhoods. Authorities imposed a heavy police presence across the city, with patrol vehicles the only visible sign of movement on otherwise deserted streets.
A City Divided by Historical Claims
The incident underscores the deep-seated divisions within Sambhal, fueled by historical and religious disputes. While the Hindu group’s claims of the mosque’s origins remain under legal scrutiny, the Muslim community stands firm in their belief that Jama Masjid has no ties to a demolished temple.
This dispute, like many others across India, is emblematic of the complex and sensitive history surrounding religious sites. As the court prepares to hear the findings of the survey on November 29, all eyes remain on Sambhal, where the potential for further unrest looms large.
A Call for Peace and Understanding
In light of the tragic loss of life and injuries sustained during the violence, it is imperative for all parties to exercise restraint and patience. The legal process must be allowed to take its course without interference from mob action. Sambhal’s residents now face the challenging task of rebuilding trust and ensuring such incidents are not repeated in the future.
As the investigation continues and the court deliberates on the matter, Sambhal stands as a stark reminder of how rumors and historical disputes can ignite unrest, underscoring the importance of dialogue and legal resolution over violence.
