On Sunday morning, Uttar Pradesh police were forced to use tear gas and lathi charges to disperse a mob that pelted stones at officers conducting the second survey of the historic Shahi Jama Masjid mosque in Sambhal. During the unrest, some vehicles were set on fire by miscreants. Despite the disturbances, the survey was successfully completed, with the team escorted safely out of the area, authorities confirmed.
The survey, ordered by a local court, is part of an investigation into claims that the mosque was built on the ruins of the ancient Harihar temple. The second court-ordered survey, led by an “Advocate Commissioner,” began at around 7 am.
According to the police, a group of miscreants gathered near the mosque site and began throwing stones at the police team. In response, the authorities used minor force and tear gas to bring the situation under control. The police have vowed to identify and take action against the individuals responsible for the violence.
District Magistrate Rajendra Pesia assured that the situation was now peaceful, and the survey continued without further disruption. “Some miscreants resorted to stone pelting, but the situation is peaceful now and the survey is underway,” he said.
Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Keshav Prasad Maurya, condemned the disruption, stating that action would be taken against those who attempted to obstruct the survey. “It is the duty of the government and the police to follow the court’s instructions. Anyone who hinders this process will face legal consequences,” Maurya emphasized.
The incident drew political reactions, with the Samajwadi Party accusing the Uttar Pradesh government of inciting tensions in the region. SP spokesperson Ameeque Jamei criticized the ruling BJP, alleging that the survey was part of a broader strategy to divide communities. “
This is an attempt to provoke people in the name of the ASI survey, coming right after the BJP claimed Muslim votes in Kundarki,” Jamei said. He also referenced the Places of Worship Act of 1991, which prohibits the alteration of any religious structure, except for the Babri Masjid-Ram Mandir case, and suggested that the BJP’s actions were dangerous for national unity.
The legal battle surrounding the Shahi Jama Masjid began with a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, who sought a court-ordered survey to examine the mosque’s history. The court instructed the survey, which included videography and photography documentation.
Local lawyer Gopal Sharma, representing the Hindu side, has claimed that historical texts such as “Baburnama” and “Ain-e-Akbari” refer to the Harihar temple, which he alleges was demolished by Mughal Emperor Babur in 1529, suggesting the mosque’s origins on the temple’s ruins.
The survey and its surrounding tensions are part of ongoing disputes over religious sites in India.
