Sambhal: Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel has announced a judicial inquiry into the killing of five Muslim men in Sambhal on November 24 during a protest following a survey of a Mughal-era mosque.
There is a massive deployment around the mosque, with police conducting flag marches and deploying multi-layer security to maintain peace, particularly during Friday prayers, The Week reported.
The three-member commission will be led by retired High Court Justice Devendra Kumar Arora, along with former IAS officer Amit Mohan Prasad and former IPS officer Arvind Kumar Jain.
The commission has been tasked with investigating whether a conspiracy fuelled the violence and assessing the preparedness of law enforcement and district administration to maintain order on the day. It has also been directed to provide recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future. As per the Governor’s orders, the probe must be completed within two months.
The violence broke out after a survey team visited the Shahi Jama Masjid following a Magistrate court’s order. The court had directed a survey based on a petition alleging that the mosque was built on the ruins of the Harihar temple. At least five people lost their lives, and over 20, including police personnel, sustained injuries in the clashes.
The Supreme Court is set to hear the mosque committee’s plea challenging the survey on Friday. According to the committee, the survey was ordered the same day the petition was filed on November 19, and the first survey was conducted that evening. The second survey was carried out on November 24, at 6:15 am, while prayers were ongoing, leading to tension.
