Police have booked Samajwadi Party MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq, local SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood's son Sohail Iqbal, and arrested 25 people following violent clashes over a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque. The incident, which occurred between locals opposing the survey and security forces, resulted in four fatalities.
Opposition parties criticized the ruling BJP at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh following Sunday's violence, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accusing the state government of orchestrating a "riot." Senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also alleged that the BJP was fueling divisions between Hindus and Muslims.
The BJP hit back, dubbing the violence as "pre-planned" and said that it was instigated by those who have been taken aback by the party's rise in the country, especially after its performance in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly bypolls.
Sambhal remained tense but peaceful on Monday, with deserted streets around the Shahi Jama Masjid and heavy police deployment across the area. Patrolling was intensified, though traffic movement was normal, and some shops reopened, officials said. Tensions have been simmering since November 19, when the Jama Masjid was surveyed under court orders following a petition alleging that a Harihar temple once stood at the site.
On Sunday, violence erupted in Sambhal when a large crowd gathered near the mosque, shouting slogans as the survey team began its work. Protesters clashed with security personnel, torched vehicles, and hurled stones. Three people, all around 25 years old, were killed, and scores, including security personnel and officials, were injured. A fourth injured person succumbed on Monday. The district administration imposed prohibitory orders, barred the entry of outsiders until November 30, and suspended internet services in Sambhal tehsil. Schools were closed on Monday, and a magisterial probe has been ordered.