Four people were murdered in violence during a mosque survey in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal on Sunday, prompting the suspension of internet services and the closure of schools.
A court-ordered inspection of Sambhal’s Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid resulted in violent fights between villagers and police on Sunday morning. The mosque is the subject of a controversial legal dispute over accusations that it was erected on the site of a Hindu temple.
The demonstrators also set fire to several vehicles and threw stones at police, who used tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd.
In the chaos, about 20 police personnel were also injured. A constable, who suffered an injury to the head, is said to be critical.
Twenty-one people, including three women, have been detained and a probe has been launched, an official said, adding that those accused in the violence would be booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).
“The reason for the death of two of them is clear — bullet wounds from countrymade pistols. The reason for the death of the third person is not clear, but it will be after the post-mortem examination,” District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.
Internet connections in Sambhal tehsil have been halted for 24 hours, and the district government has announced a vacation on November 25 for all students up to Class 12.
Officials have also prohibited any foreigner, social group, or public figure from accessing Sambhal without the permission of the authorities until November 30.
Get the latest news updates and stay informed with FELA NEWS!
Source: NDTV
