Sambhal mosque survey: Mob pelts stones at cops, several arrested

Lucknow: Protesters pelted stoned on cops in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district when the survey of a Mughal-era mosque was underway on Sunday, following which police resorted to lathi-charge, lobbed tear gas shells to disperse them and caught hold of a few of them.

Heavy security bandobusts were made for the survey underway since 07.30 a.m.

However, as the survey was underway, protesters gathered and pelted stones at police.

To control the unruly protesters, the police resorted to lathi-charge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse them.

Several protesters were arrested.

Sambhal District Magistrate (DM) Rajendra Painsia said: "The survey was being conducted according to court orders. Last time, the survey could not be completed, and a slot of 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. was chosen today as no namaz is offered during this time and the process can be completed peacefully. Survey was on peacefully, there was no disruption. Jamia committee was cooperating in the process," he said.

However, some miscreants outside pelted stones at the police, he said.

Sambhal Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishna Kumar said: "The survey was on peacefully. But protesters gathered and pelted stones at police for 10 to 15 seconds. Police used lathi-charge and teargas to disperse the mob. Strict action will be taken against people who take the law into their own hands. Section 163 earlier known as section 144 has been imposed."

He also said that strict action would be taken against those arrested.

People who provoked the protesters will be also taken to task, the SP said.

Meanwhile, All India Muslim Jamaat Chief Shahbuddin Razvi Barelvi appealed to the minority community in Sambhal to maintain peace and tranquillity, and not to indulge in vandalism and stop stone pelting.

"Islam has given the message of peace, follow it. Jama Masjid is a historical mosque. The legal battle will be fought and we will win," he told the people of his community.

The Supreme Court had ordered a survey after a petition was filed stating that the mosque was originally Harihar temple.

Petitioner Vishnu Shankar Jain contended that Mughal emperor Babar razed the Harihar temple to build the mosque.