48 Hours On, Sambhal Still In Shock: Country-Made Bullets Caused Deaths, Say Police – News18

Last Updated:November 26, 2024, 20:02 IST

UP clashes over mosque survey: Toll rises to 5; 7 FIRs filed against more than 2,500; Akhilesh attacks BJP over naming of SP MP, MLA’s son

Over 48 hours after Sunday’s communal clashes during a court-mandated survey of Shahi Jama Masjid, schools, offices and businesses in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal opened on Tuesday, but couldn’t bring back the sense of normalcy. The toll climbed to five. Internet services remained suspended as a precautionary measure.

Chaos reigned in Sambhal’s Kot Garvi area on Sunday as people opposing a court-ordered survey of the mosque clashed with police. The clashes, which involved gunfire and throwing of stones, left 20, including Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ramesh Chandra, injured. The survey followed a petition in a local court, claiming that the site of the mosque was previously a Harihar temple.

“Don’t know what went wrong in our locality. Such clashes never happened in the past. I still remember the good old times when people from both communities lived with a deep sense of brotherhood. Our locality was an example of communal harmony,” said Mohammed Liaqat, a resident of Sambhal district, reflecting on the recent turmoil.

The entry to the area has been restricted until December 1, and police sealed the vicinity around Shahi Jama Masjid, the site of violence. The post-mortem report of four of the deceased – Naeem, Bilal, Numan, and Ayan – stated that they were not killed by police bullets, but by shots fired from country-made pistols, said police.

‘RIOTERS WERE ARMED; FOOTAGE BEING SCANNED’

SP Krishna Kumar Vishnoi stated that the findings suggest some rioters were armed and actively participated in the chaos.

Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Singh, too, confirmed the post-mortem reports. “The post-mortem report revealed that most deaths during the Sambhal violence were caused by firearm injuries, likely from .315 bore bullets fired from country-made pistols at close range. Police primarily used pellet guns to disperse the crowd. Authorities are investigating whether another group of protesters was responsible for firing these fatal shots,” the divisional commissioner said.

Besides, he said that the footage and video clips of the incident are being scanned. “The matter is still under investigation, a magisterial enquiry has also been ordered,” he said.

7 FIRS AGAINST 2,500, 25 DETAINED

Seven FIRs have been lodged against more than 2,500 people, including Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Zia-ur-Rahman Barq and MLA Iqbal Mahmood’s son Sohail. Police have detained 25 suspects and are identifying additional culprits using drone footage.

Officials with the UP Police, however, blamed the SP MP for making provocative statements and accused the SP MLA’s son of mobilising the crowd to attack the police and survey team. Officials said police have sufficient evidence suggesting that Sunday’s clash was a premeditated conspiracy, as the attackers stockpiled firearms and stones.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “Barq wasn’t even in the district, yet was named in the FIR. Five individuals – Nayeem, Kaif, Numaan, Bilal, and Ayaan – lost their lives in police firing. This was a pre-planned conspiracy by the government to deflect attention from electoral malpractices during the bypolls.”

FIRS NAME SP MP, MLA’s SON, YADAV ATTACKS BJP GOVERNMENT

During the Constitution Day celebrations on Tuesday, Yadav criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party-led UP government, accusing it of framing false charges against his party’s MP and an MLA’s son. “The true celebration of the Constitution lies in adhering to it. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution safeguards our rights. Celebrating it amid the tragic loss of lives in Sambhal is inappropriate,” he said.

He said the government is filing false cases against the SP MP and son of the MLA. “The government is at fault. When the survey was done once, what was the need for a second survey,” he asked.