Violence broke out in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh on 24th November when a team of local authorities went to Jama Masjid to conduct the second round of a court-ordered survey. Thousands of Muslims gathered outside the mosque. They became irked and started pelting stones when the police asked them to leave. The mob set several vehicles ablaze and opened fire at the police using locally made guns. More than 20 police personnel were injured, and at least four mobsters were killed too in the mayhem.
According to the media reports, seven FIRs have been registered in the matter. In one of the FIRs, Sambhal MP and Samajwadi Party leader Zia Ur Rahman Barq has been named as the prime accused. All the FIRs have been registered under Sections 191(2), 191(3), 190, 109(1), 121(1), 324(5), 326(g), 309(4), 223, and 132 of the Bharatiya Nayay Sanhita, 2023, Section 7 of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1932, and Sections 2 and 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.
Zia Ur Rahman Barq has been named as the prime accused in the FIR. Suhail Iqbal has been named as the second accused along with 700–800 unnamed persons. The FIR in which Barq has been named as the prime accused was registered on the complaint of Sub Inspector Deepak Rathi. In his complaint, SI Rathi said that a court-ordered survey was conducted under the supervision of Advocate Ramesh Babu Ragha as court commissioner and other team members on 19th November 2024 at Jama Masjid, Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. They visited the mosque again for the survey on 24th November 2024. To ensure law and order, SI Rathi was present at the mosque with other police personnel as per the directions of the senior officials.
When the survey team was conducting the survey at around 9 AM, a mob of around 700–800 unidentified individuals armed with deadly weapons gathered with the intent to disrupt the survey proceedings. Despite repeated appeals from SI Rathi, the Sambhal Circle Officer, and the police force present not to obstruct the court-ordered survey proceedings, the mob became even more violent.
SI Rathi stated that the mob started raising slogans, obstructing government work, and engaging in destructive activities. They pelted stones at the police force, vandalised police and other vehicles, set them on fire, and caused significant damage to public and private property. They also set ablaze shops in the area. During the chaos, an unidentified rioter fired at Circle Officer Arun Kumar Chaudhary with the intent to kill. The bullet hit CO Chaudhary on his right leg, resulting in injuries.
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