According to reports, the three – Bilal Ansar, Naeem Ahmed and Nauman– were killed during police firing to disperse protesters against the survey.
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – At least three Muslim youths were killed after clashes broke out between protesters and policemen as a team was surveying the historical Shahi Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh’s city of Sambhal on Sunday.
According to reports, the three – Bilal Ansar, Naeem Ahmed and Nauman – were killed during police firing to disperse protesters against the survey. A video has also gone viral showing policemen opening fire and pelting stones at the protesters.
On Tuesday, a court suddenly ordered a survey of the mosque. The order came on a petition claiming that the mosque was built on the ruins of an ancient temple. The undue haste shown by the court in ordering the survey has drawn widespread outrage and created tension in the area.
Barely three hours after a Hindu priest filed an application in the court claiming that the mosque was built after demolishing a temple, Civil Judge (Senior Division) Aditya Singh ordered an initial survey at the mosque site. The court also directed that a report of the survey should be filed by November 29.
On Tuesday, the mosque was surveyed peacefully but a clash erupted when the team reached to conduct the survey again on Sunday.
According to the officials, several policemen also got injured during the violence and several vehicles were also set on fire
“Three persons namely Naeem, Bilal and Niman died during the clash. About 20 to 22 cops including officials (CO Sambhal, PRO to SP Sambhal, one SDM) sustained injuries while others received injuries of splinters). Meanwhile, 15 persons have been detained,” said Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Ananya Kumar told media persons.
The police said that they would take strict action against those involved in violence and invoke the Nation Security Act (NSA) against them.
Meanwhile, the order of the survey has been criticised with several persons calling it the main reason behind the violence.
“If they search for a Shivling under every mosque then there won’t be any peace in our country and society,” said Samajwadi Party leader Shahid Siddiqui.
Supreme Court lawyer Sanjay Hegde said: “The judiciary in India needs to take a call. Will our courts be used for lawfare on ancient grudges or will they promote the principle of non-retrogression? If every judge in every district in the country can blissfully ignore the Places of Worship Act 1993, chaos will follow”.