NEW DELHI — Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad stopped a group of Shiv Sena workers who were reportedly on their way to Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid to perform jalabhishek, claiming that the mosque stands at the site of the Hindu deity Harihar Temple.
Police put up barricades to prevent the group from proceeding towards Sambhal. Reports said a brief confrontation, including pushing and shoving between police personnel and the workers, took place during the stoppage.
The incident comes amid an ongoing dispute over claims concerning the historical and religious identity of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal. The latest attempt to take a religious procession towards the mosque has prompted authorities to step up security in the area.
According to reports, the Shiv Sena workers intended to perform jalabhishek at the mosque as part of their claim that the site was originally a Harihar Temple. Police intervened before the group could proceed further.
The administration remained on alert amid concerns that any attempt to enter the disputed site or organise a religious ritual there could escalate tensions.
Officials appealed to people to maintain peace and avoid rumours. Security arrangements have also been tightened, with police keeping a close watch on the situation.
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The latest incident has drawn criticism on social media, with users saying that the police action was necessary to prevent any escalation and maintain communal peace.
One user wrote, “Police action is absolutely right. How long will they keep showing off power by calling every mosque a temple? Stop trying to spoil the atmosphere in the name of religion. Peace is essential.”
Another user, while tagging the authorities, wrote, “Why don’t you speak up about imposing a full ban on the organization Shiv Sena that spoils the country’s atmosphere and incites riots @sambhalpolice? Why don’t you take action by slapping UAPA NSA on the chief of this organization? Why doesn’t the police resort to encounters and lathi charges so that no one else dares to do so?”
Authorities have not indicated whether any arrests or cases were registered in connection with the Moradabad incident at the time of writing. The copy will be updated as and when the information becomes available.
