Sambhal hopes for peace and normalcy after unrest

Sambhal: Still recovering from the communal conflagration that quickly reached the doorstep of the highest court of the country, Sambhal and its people wish for a dialling down of temperatures and a return to normalcy.

As the dust settles after violence in the small western UP city following a court-ordered survey of the Mugha-era Shahi Jama Masjid, residents hope for peace and stability even amid a future that portends more court hearings and occasional flare-ups.

“Sambhal is getting fed up of such incidents. These events are a stain on our town, and everyone wants to return to the path of peace. I believe peace will soon return,” said Shane Rab, who lives close to the Jama Masjid.

Zafar Ali, the head of Jama Masjid, “I had also issued a video appeal for peace and order. Today, everyone came to offer namaz peacefully, and the prayers were completed without incident. It is our endeavour that peace remains in the future as well.”

There has been heightened security in Sambhal, especially around the Shahi Jama Masjid, where Friday prayers were held under tight surveillance. Additional CCTV cameras were installed around the mosque, and drones were deployed to monitor the situation.

Tension has been brewing in Sambhal since November 19 when the court ordered a survey of the mosque, acting on claims made in a plea that a Harihar temple stood in its place. Violence erupted on November 24 as protesters gathered near the mosque and clashed with security personnel, leading to stone pelting and arson. Four people died and scores of others, including policemen, were injured in the violence. Police have denied firing at the protesters opposing the survey.

The masjid committee has moved the Supreme Court over it, which called for a stay on the proceedings in the lower court.

The business community in the city rued the immense losses suffered due to the unrest. Mushahid Hussain, a spare parts shopkeeper, said: “It is Allah’s grace that there was peace during the namaz.”

“Business has completely stopped for the last few days. People come in the morning and leave empty-handed. But now, after today’s peaceful prayers, I believe peace will return and business will pick up again,” he added.