In a major update to the Sambhal violence case, the Uttar Pradesh police have exposed the lies spread by Islamists about the killing of 4 men during ‘protests’.
The police on Sunday (19th January) revealed that two of the four people from the crowd had been shot by the accused Mulla Afroz. He is associated with the notorious Sharik Satha gang.
The police denied the allegations of firing and said that only tear gas shells were fired on the day of violence by the authorities to control the crowd.
The Islamists earlier alleged that the police had deliberately targeted the Islamists who were ‘protesting’ to save the contested Shahi Jama Masjid site on 24th November last year.
They stated that 4 of their men had been shot by the authorities in an attempt to flee the crowd from the spot. However, the police have several times in the past denied the allegations of firing and claimed that the authorities had only fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
Further investigations into the case revealed that two of the four men had been shot by an Islamist only and not by the police. The accused identified as Mulla Afroz has been arrested by the police and is being interrogated.
Additional Superintendent of Police Shrishchandra commented on the matter and said, “During the violence, Mullah Afroz along with his associates had targeted the police and opened fire.
Meanwhile, in the chaos, some bullets hit his associates and people in the crowd. Bilal and Ayaan died due to Mulla Afroz’s bullet. He is a member of the international auto lifter Shariq Satha gang who smuggles stolen vehicles and weapons.”
He further added that the police amid the investigations have recovered the 32-bore pistol and cartridges used in firing from the accused. 15 blank cartridges and 3 charger clips looted from the police during the chaos have also been recovered from him.
The authorities meanwhile reiterated that the accused had fired the bullets at the police and during the attack, the bullets mistakingly hit Bilal and Ayaan who later died of severe injuries.
2024 Sambhal violence
It is crucial to note that on 24th November last year, massive violence erupted in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh after Islamists rioted and pelted stones against the police injuring more than 20 officers.
The First Information Reports (FIRs) of this incident revealed how the mob targeted the police.
While on one hand, the people associated with the perpetrators played victim, the FIR stated that a group of 700-800 Muslims gathered about 100 meters away from the structure at around 8:45 that morning.
The crowd then began raising slogans before turning violent. The boys also hurled stones at the cops making the police target.
The official complaint filed by a sub-inspector posted in Kotwali Nagar, Sambhal added that the mob was determined to drive out the police team that had arrived to survey the contested mosque.
According to the sub-inspector, it was illegal in the district for more than five persons to congregate given the survey of the disputed site was underway.
As a result, the police repeatedly advised the people to return home. However, the raging crowd remained unaffected by the appeals and kept pushing the policemen as they moved forward.
The culprits continued to abuse the police personnel and threw stones at them during this period. According to the sub-inspector’s accusation, the Muslim radicals were targeting the police as part of a conspiracy that took a violent turn after November 24th.
Islamist agrees that he pelted stones at the police
It was earlier reported that an Islamist from Sambhal in an exclusive conversation with Pakistan cleric Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza on YouTube live agreed to have pelted stones at the authorities and non-Muslims.
The Islamist identified as Muhammad Akil said that it was Friday and the Islamist mob was furious over the claims of a temple beneath the 300-year-old Masjid and pelted stones at the administration and the non-Muslims to protect the interest of the site.
In the video, Akil could be heard saying that the Islamist stone pelting forced the police to initiate firing at the mob which allegedly resulted in the death of 3-4 Muslims.
He also said that the non-Muslims were illegally claiming ownership of the Masjid and stating that it was a temple. Akil justified the stone pelting and said that the acts of Hindus and the local administration irked the Islamists who pelted stones on the former on Friday.
Sambhal:- Md. Akil Admits to Stone Pelting by Muslims During Mosque Survey on Video Call with Pak Cleric Md Ali Mirza. pic.twitter.com/qDiGwx3Kmx
— Angry Saffron (@AngrySaffron) January 15, 2025
Court-ordered survey at Jama Masjid in Sambhal
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. 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. More than 20 policemen were injured.
Following this, the Supreme Court of India stayed the hearing in the District Court, Sambhal, in response to a 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. A judicial committee was formed by CM Yogi Adityanath to investigate the cause of the violence.
Detailed coverage of the Sambhal violence and the Jama Masjid legal case can be read here.
So far 60-70 arrested, police looking for 89 more accused
The state police so far have arrested around 60-70 Islamists, including 4 women for their involvement in the stone pelting against the administration on 24th November. The police are further looking for 89 more accused who are still absconding. It has also been learned that the suspected mastermind of the violence in the given case Sharik Satha, is a member of Dawood Ibrahim’s gang.
Reports suggest that he has over 50 cases registered against him in various states. A few years ago, he reportedly fled to Dubai. Police believe that he not only provided funding for the Sambhal violence that took place on 24th November but also supplied weapons used by his operatives to carry out the attack. The intelligence unit in Sambhal has identified five more suspected terrorists with links to the area. Two key names that have surfaced during the investigation are Shahid Akhtar and Usman Hussain, who are suspected of facilitating the delivery of weapons and funding for the violence.
