NEW DELHI: Three Muslim youths— Bilal Ansari, Nayeem Ahmed & Nadeem Ghazi lost their lives during a violent clash in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal on Sunday.
The incident occurred as tensions flared over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, initiated after a complaint by Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain alleging that a temple was demolished to construct the mosque.
The protest began when hundreds of people gathered near the mosque, opposing the survey. Violence erupted as the mob hurled stones at the survey team, which was escorted by heavy police deployment.
The police responded with tear gas and plastic bullets, but the situation escalated as some protesters set vehicles ablaze and opened fire.
Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh confirmed the deaths but stated the cause will be ascertained after autopsies. He added that 15 police personnel, including senior officials, were injured in the violence. “The situation is under control now, and legal action will be taken against the stone-pelters,” he said.
Despite the violence, the survey was completed under strict security and was documented through videography and photography. The Advocate Commission will present its findings to the court on November 29, according to Sambhal District Magistrate Rajender Pensiyia.
The unrest comes in the wake of a complaint by Jain, claiming the mosque was originally the Hari Har Mandir, partially demolished by Mughal emperor Babur in 1529. Jain and his father, Hari Shankar Jain, have been prominent figures in disputes involving places of worship, including the Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath case.
In response to the escalating tensions, prohibitory orders have been imposed in the area, and 18 people have been detained. Authorities have also conducted drone surveys to identify protesters involved in the violence.