December 1, 2024: A three-member judicial inquiry commission has arrived in Sambhal to investigate the deadly clashes that broke out over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. The violence, which occurred on November 24, left five people dead and many others injured. The clashes were triggered by protests against the survey, which followed claims that a Hindu temple had once stood at the site of the mosque.
The judicial panel, led by Justice Devendra Kumar Arora, a retired judge of the Allahabad High Court, visited the site of the incident in the presence of Sambhal’s District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP). The commission also included Amit Mohan Prasad, a retired IAS officer, and Arvind Kumar Jain, a retired IPS officer. The panel conducted a detailed inspection and gathered information from local police and district administration officials to understand the sequence of events that led to the violence.
The commission has been tasked with determining the causes of the clashes and whether they were part of a premeditated plan or a spontaneous outburst. In addition, it will investigate the role of individuals involved in the protests and assess the actions taken by the district administration and police to maintain law and order during the survey. The inquiry will also examine the circumstances that led to the police using force to disperse protesters and will make recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The tensions in Sambhal had been rising since November 19, when the court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid was carried out. The survey followed claims that a Harihar temple once stood at the same location, leading to protests from some local groups who opposed the survey. These protests turned violent on November 24, with clashes between security forces and demonstrators, resulting in stone-pelting and arson.
The panel is expected to submit its findings within two months, with hopes that the investigation will shed light on the causes of the violence and provide recommendations to avoid further unrest in the region.