In a breakthrough in the ongoing investigation into the Sambhal violence, the Sambhal Police today (20th February) arrested wanted accused Ghulam in connection with the violence. Addressing the media after the arrest of the accused, Sambhal SP Krishan Kumar Vishnoi revealed that the accused confessed that there was a conspiracy to kill advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain during the Sambhal violence on 24th November 2024.
According to SP Vishnoi, Ghulam confessed that Shariq Satha, the mastermind of the Sambhal violence, and his gang enjoyed political patronage earlier which made it easier for them to operate in the Deepa Sarai area in Sambhal. But now it has become difficult for the gang to carry on their criminal activities due to strict police action. Ghulam also revealed he was shown a picture of advocate Jain for identification. His leaders had entrusted him with the task of killing Jain by taking advantage of the violence.
पार्ट 3. pic.twitter.com/ETSNd5S0Bi
— SAMBHAL POLICE (@sambhalpolice) February 20, 2025
SP Vishnoi said that Ghulam, who has a long criminal history, supplied weapons to the attackers during the violence. Around 20 criminal cases are pending against Ghulam in several districts including Sambhal. SP Vishnoi further revealed that Ghulam had a conversation with his boss Satha a day before the violence, i.e. on 23rd November 2024. Satha was informed by a local about the court-mandated survey of the Sambhal Jama Masjid that was to be conducted on 24th November 2024.
Ghulam also disclosed to the police that Satha operates an automobile theft gang in Delhi NCR from abroad. Ghulam runs this automobile theft gang for Satha in the NCR which steals vehicles from the NCR and sells them in the northeastern states and sells them at the India-Myanmar border in Manipur in exchange for weapons.
#SPSambhal @Krishan_IPS के कुशल निर्देशन में थाना सम्भल पुलिस टीम द्वारा जामा मस्जिद सर्वे के दौरान हुई हिंसा में हत्या की घटना कारित करने तथा अपने अन्य साथियों को अवैध असलाह मुहैया कराने वाला एक शातिर किस्म का अभियुक्त गिरफ्तार।#UPPolice#GOOdWorkUPP pic.twitter.com/M81Jc9uNAz
— SAMBHAL POLICE (@sambhalpolice) February 20, 2025
The police recovered a huge cache of arms from Ghulam which had weapons made in countries like Germany, the UK and Czechoslovakia. The accused was involved in smuggling the weapons across the country.
थाना सम्भल पुलिस टीम द्वारा जामा मस्जिद सर्वे के दौरान हुई हिंसा में हत्या की घटना कारित करने तथा अपने अन्य साथियों को अवैध असलाह मुहैया कराने वाला एक शातिर किस्म का अपराधी की गिरफ्तार व बरामदगी के सम्बन्ध में #SPSambhal @Krishan_IPS की बाइट। पार्ट 1.#UPPolice #GOOdWorkUPP https://t.co/0LeLXk1BsI pic.twitter.com/LuwU2yj5fL
— SAMBHAL POLICE (@sambhalpolice) February 20, 2025
The police have arrested 79 accused in connection with the Sambhal violence so far.
Sambhal violence
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.
