Uttar Pradesh: On November 27, the Uttar Pradesh (UP) authorities released photos of several individuals, including three women, allegedly involved in the violent clashes in Sambhal on Sunday. The rioters attacked both the police and a mosque survey team. The women are accused of aiding stone-pelters during the violent confrontation between protesters and law enforcement.
The violence, which erupted outside the city’s Jama Masjid during a protest against a court-ordered survey, resulted in four deaths and injuries to numerous individuals, including over a dozen police officers. Police investigations suggest the attack was premeditated, possibly orchestrated by influential figures. According to one suspect, women were specifically instructed to throw stones at the police from rooftops.
Reports indicate that the UP government is considering stringent actions against those responsible for the arson and destruction in Kot Garvi, where the mosque is located. While the survey team was working, violent protesters set several vehicles on fire, including police cars, prompting a retaliatory response from law enforcement.
A Magisterial inquiry is underway, and authorities are reviewing CCTV and drone footage to identify the perpetrators. So far, 27 people have been arrested, and over 100 others have been identified for stone-pelting.
Sambhal MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq and Sohail Iqbal, son of MLA Iqbal Mehmood, both from the Samajwadi Party (SP), have been charged in connection with the violence. This has led to a political dispute, with SP leader Akhilesh Yadav blaming the state administration and UP Police for the violence, while the ruling BJP accuses the SP lawmakers of inciting the mob.
The unrest relates to the court-mandated survey of the 16th-century Jama Masjid, following claims that a Harihar temple once stood at the site.