Sambhal Mosque Dispute Reaches Supreme Court, Masjid Committee Seeks Stay on Survey Order

Sambhal: The Sambhal Masjid dispute has reached the Supreme Court as the Shahi Masjid committee knocked the doors of the Top Court filing a petition. The mosque committee has reportedly filed a petition challenging the ASI survey order of the mosque issued by a lower court. The committee, in its petition, has demanded an immediate stay on the decision of the lower court.

As per reports, a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI), Sanjiv Khanna will hear the case on Friday. According to the information, the Shahi Masjid Committee moved the Apex court challenging the November 19 order of a Sambhal court for the survey of the mosque, which led to widespread unrest resulting in violence in the area.

A bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna will hear the petition of the Committee of Management of the Jama Masjid in Sambhal on November 29. The committee approached the top court to challenge the district court verdict on an urgent basis.

Notably, a district court in Sambhal passed an order last week for the survey of the mosque on the basis of a complaint that claimed the Shah Jama Masjid was built by Mughal emperor Babar in 1526 after demolishing a temple that stood there.

Massive violence erupted on Sunday as a mob gathered outside the Mughal era-mosque to protest against a court-ordered survey of the monument following claims that it was constructed on the ruins of a Hindu temple. The situation escalated when protesters clashed with police, pelted stones at security personnel and set cars on fire.

Four people were killed in the incident, drawing sharp reactions from the Opposition who accused the Yogi Adityanath -led BJP government of targeting minorities. Over 20 police personnel were injured in the violence.

Police have arrested 25 rioters in connection with the violence and said they recovered several kinds of weapons.The accused include Zia-ur-Rahman Barq, the Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal; Sohail Iqbal, son of the party’s local MLA Iqbal Mehmood; and over 2,750 unidentified individuals.