- Violence broke out during a court-ordered survey of Shahi Jama Masjid, resulting in four deaths
- Judicial Commission highlighted misinformation in Muslim community and involvement of radical groups
- Report praised police action and urged strict government action to prevent future incidents
A judicial commission tasked to probe the violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal has concluded that it is a result of a pre-planned conspiracy. The report has commission highlighted the roles of several individuals -- including MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq and Suhel Iqbal (son of MLA Iqbal Mahmood).
"The report was tabled in the House today will certainly reach the people... It will expose how, under the guise of riots, Hindus were killed and how the Congress and the Samajwadi Party used to protect rioters," said Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Pradhan Maurya.
Clashes had broken out on November 24, 2024, during a court-ordered survey of Sambhal's Shahi Jama Masjid in which four persons were killed and many more injured. A local court had ordered the survey after a petition claimed the presence of a Hindu temple under the Mughal-era mosque - similar to Varanasi and Mathura.
It had given rise to concern that the mosque might be pulled down -- as happened in the Ayodhya Ram Temple case -- and locals had gathered to put a stop to the survey, which was to be conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Twenty-eight police personnel were injured in the violence, seven had sustained gunshot wounds. The rioters also attempted to loot police weapons and equipment.
Following the violence, the Uttar Pradesh government had formed a three-member commission headed by retired Allahabad High Court judge Justice Devendra Kumar Arora. The other members were retired IAS officer Amit Mohan Prasad and retired IPS officer Arvind Kumar Jain.
The committee had focussed on several key points -- whether the violence was spontaneous or the result of a conspiracy, the circumstances leading to it and preparations needed to prevent such incidents. But the investigation took a turn after Pakistan-made bullets were found on the site of violence.
The final report, concluded that misinformation regarding the survey was spread within the Muslim community.
In its report, the Commission said the bullets that claimed four lives did not originate from police weapons.
In a 450-page report to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath submitted last year, the Commission had flagged a sharp demographic shift in the town, a plot to target Hindus, and the role of radical groups and outside rioters in the unrest.
The Commission also described the action taken by the district administration and the police as effective and restrained.
To prevent such incidents in the future, it has emphasised the importance of respecting court orders and adhering to the law.
"The government must take the strictest possible action based on the findings of the investigation, and I am confident that it will do so," said BJP Rajya Sabha MP Manan Kumar Mishra.
"Their involvement points to an act of outright treason aimed at spreading anarchy, dividing society, and creating an atmosphere of unrest; this is a grave instance of crime and terrorism, and therefore, such individuals deserve the severest punishment," he added.
