Sambhal Violence: ASI Submits Response in Court, Seeks Control and Management of Shahi Jama Masjid

Sambhal: Violent clashes erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district when a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid was being conducted - the stone pelting also claimed two lives and resulted in the suspension of internet services and prohibitory orders being issued. Amid probe by a three-member judicial panel, the ASI has sought control and management of the mosque as it is a ‘protected heritage structure’.

Sambhal Violence: ASI Seeks Control, Management of Shahi Jama Masjid

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has submitted its response in a court -- which had allowed a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid here -- seeking control and management of the Mughal-era mosque as it is a protected heritage structure. Representing the ASI, lawyer Vishnu Sharma said the agency submitted its counterargument in the court on Friday, stating that it faced resistance from the mosque's management committee and locals in conducting surveys of the site.

He said the ASI also highlighted an incident from January 19, 2018, when an FIR was filed against the mosque's management committee for installing steel railings on the mosque's steps without proper authorisation. The mosque, notified as an ASI-protected monument in 1920, is under the purview of the agency and as such, public access to the structure should be permitted, provided it adheres to ASI regulations, Sharma said.

The ASI argued that control and management of the monument, including any structural modifications, must remain with it. It also raised concerns that unauthorised changes to the mosque's structure by the management committee are unlawful and should be restricted.

The court is expected to deliberate on the matter in the coming days.

3-Member Judicial Panel Reaches Sambhal for Probe

A three-member judicial panel has been constituted to look into the events that led to severe violence in the Sambhal district of UP. The commission headed by retired Allahabad High Court judge Devendra Kumar Arora includes former IAS officer Amit Mohan Prasad and Arvind Kumar Jain, a retired IPS officer, as the other members.

The commission formed via a notification on November 28 has been entrusted with the task of examining whether the clashes were spontaneous or part of a well-planned criminal conspiracy, as well as the preparedness of the police and the administration in handling the situation. The commission will also analyse the circumstances leading to the violence and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Amid heavy security in the district, the three-member judicial panel has reached Sambhal and is probing the incident; the panel is expected to submit its detailed report within two months. Any extension of this timeline will require government approval. As the panel members inspect the mosque, the security has been heightened to ensure their safety and peace in general.

Violence erupted in Sambhal on November 24 during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid there, killing four people and injuring many others.

(Inputs from PTI)