The Advocate Commission which conducted the court-ordered survey of the disputed Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal will submit the survey report before the court by Monday (8th December). The report will be submitted in a sealed envelope. The report was supposed to be submitted on 29th November, however, the Commission sought more time from the court saying that the report was not ready for submission. Consequently, the court granted 10 days of additional time to the Advocate Commission.
Advocate Commissioner Ramesh Singh Raghav said that the report is being prepared, it will be submitted in a sealed envelope in the court before time. Deepak Chaudhary, the Deputy Collector designated to conduct the magisterial inquiry into the Sambhal violence, has set December 9 as the deadline for presenting the case report. All concerned authorities, including CO Sambhal, SDM, Kotwal, and Halka Sub Inspector, were notified and asked to present their cases in Bahjoi on November 30.
However, due to the arrival of the judicial commission team and other security-related procedures, the officers were unable to present their case. Following that, the Deputy Collector attended a meeting of the Divisional Commissioner in Moradabad. Due to Friday’s Jumma Namaz, the Deputy Collector has set December 9 as the new date for presenting the case.
Court-ordered survey at Jama Masjid in Sambhal and violence that erupted on 24th November
On 19th November, a court-mandated survey was conducted at Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. The court ordered the survey in response to a petition filed by Supreme Court Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, and seven co-plaintiffs, asserting that the mosque occupies the site of a temple dedicated to Bhagwan Kalki. The site in question is a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904. The survey was carried out under the supervision of the Advocate Commission. A heavy police force was deployed in the area to ensure the survey proceeded peacefully.
However, on 24th November, during the second round of court-mandated survey at Jama Masjid, Islamist mobsters gathered outside the mosque and engaged in violence. They pelted stones at police, opened fire at police personnel and set ablaze vehicles and shops. At least 20 police personnel were injured during violence and four mobsters were killed in the mayhem, likely from illegal guns carried by rioters.
In the aftermath of the Sambhal violence on 24th November, police have clarified that the deaths of three individuals occurred due to firing by rioters, not by the police. Post-mortem reports revealed that two victims were shot with country-made pistols, while the 315-bore bullet was found inside the body of another victim, a type not used by Uttar Pradesh Police. Sambhal SP Krishna Kumar Bishnoi stated that the police initially fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the mob but were fired upon by rioters.
During the survey, however, Muslims living in the area gathered outside the Jama Masjid and raised religious slogans. The District Magistrate of Sambhal confirmed that the survey was completed in around two hours and stated that a report would be submitted to the Civil Court, which will review it on the next date of hearing, 29th November 2024. OpIndia accessed the petition filed by the plaintiffs in the case.
As of now, the Supreme Court of India has stayed the hearing in the District Court, Sambhal, in response to plea filed by the Muslim side. Furthermore, the survey report submitted by the Advocate Commissioner has been ordered to be sealed and not to be opened till an order is passed by the High Court in the matter. Next hearing in the matter will be in January 2025. A judicial committee was formed by CM Yogi Adityanath to investigate the cause of the violence.
OpIndia’s detailed report on the petition filed at the court can be checked here.
