Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has announced plans to recover the cost of damages to public property from protesters involved in the Sambhal violence, which erupted during a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in the Kot Garvi area.
Posters featuring images of alleged stone pelters and miscreants will be displayed at prominent public locations to aid in their identification and apprehension.
The violence on Sunday left four people dead and several others, including police personnel, injured. The clashes began when a court-ordered survey of the mosque—prompted by a petition claiming a Harihar temple once stood at the site—sparked unrest. A large crowd gathered near the mosque, chanting slogans as the survey resumed. The situation escalated into clashes with security forces, with protesters allegedly setting vehicles on fire and pelting stones.
An official spokesperson stated, “The UP government is taking a strict stance against the individuals involved in the Sambhal violence. Posters of stone pelters and miscreants will be publicly displayed, and the recovery of damages will be sought. A reward may also be announced for information leading to their arrest.”
This approach echoes measures taken during the anti-CAA protests in 2020, when posters of accused vandals were displayed across key locations, including Lucknow. However, those posters were later removed following court orders. Police have arrested 25 individuals so far and registered seven FIRs in connection with the violence. Notable among the accused are Zia-ur-Rehman Barq, the Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal, Sohail Iqbal, the son of SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood, and over 2,750 unidentified individuals. A magisterial inquiry is underway, and Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi assured that the situation is now under control, stating, “Strict action will be taken against those responsible for the unrest.”
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the ruling BJP of orchestrating a “riot,” while Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged that the government was fueling communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims.
The violence in Sambhal highlights escalating tensions in the region as disputes over religious sites continue to provoke unrest. Authorities have vowed to take firm action to maintain law and order while ensuring accountability for the damages caused.
The FIR alleges that SP MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq incited the crowd to vitiate the communal atmosphere and gain political advantage. It also notes that Barq visited the Jama Masjid two days before the violence without administrative permission, which reportedly added fuel to the brewing tensions.
Meanwhile, the lawyer of the Hindu side claimed on Wednesday that the second survey of Sambhal’s Jama Masjid was not conducted in haste but on the orders of the advocate commissioner.
He was responding to the allegation of the mosque’s management committee that the second survey of the mosque was not conducted under court orders but solely on the directions of the district magistrate.
“The decision on the second survey was not done in haste. It was done on order of the advocate commissioner,” lawyer Gopal Sharma claimed.