Sambhal violence report rekindles debate on governance, demography & polarisation

Lucknow: The judicial commission report on the November 2024 violence in Sambhal has once again pushed the district into the centre of political and social debate.

Though submitted to the state government some time ago, the report’s contents are now shaping arguments on governance, demographic shifts, and the challenge of polarisation in western Uttar Pradesh.

The commission’s findings paint a troubling picture. It notes a steady decline of Hindu families in the district alongside the growth of radical elements with alleged international links.

According to the report, several youths from Sambhal were recruited by terror organisations in Pakistan and Afghanistan, later surfacing on global terrorist lists issued by the United States.

Among the names that stand out is Maulana Asim Umar, a native of Sambhal, who rose to become a senior leader of Al-Qaeda. Others mentioned include Ahmed Raza alias Shahrukh, Mohammad Asif, Maulana Aseem and Zafar Masood.

The report underlines that the idea of “Ghazwa-e-Hind” was promoted within the district and that Hindu families and temples were repeatedly targeted during communal unrest.

Testimonies cited instances where Hindu girls were allegedly trapped in what has come to be described in political circles as “love jihad.”

One family told the commission that their daughter, after completing her education outside the district, married a Muslim youth from Deepa Sarai in 2013-14.