Lucknow: Protesters pelted stones at cops in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district when the survey of a Mughal-era mosque was underway on Sunday, following which police resorted to lathi-charge, lobbed tear gas shells to disperse them and caught hold of a few of them.

A handful of police personnel and media persons have reportedly suffered injuries.

Heavy security bandobusts were made for the survey, which had been underway since 07.30 a.m.

However, as the survey was underway, protesters gathered and pelted stones at police.

To control the unruly protesters, the police resorted to lathi-charge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse them.

Several protesters were arrested.

Sambhal District Magistrate (DM) Rajendra Painsia clarified that the survey was being conducted according to court orders. He also noted that the Jamia committee, a local community organisation, was cooperating in the process, indicating that there was some local support for the survey.

However, some miscreants outside pelted stones at the police, he said.

Sambhal Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishna Kumar said: “The survey was conducted peacefully. But protesters gathered and pelted stones at police for 10 to 15 seconds. Police used lathi-charge and teargas to disperse the mob. Strict action will be taken against people who take the law into their own hands. Section 163, earlier known as section 144, has been imposed.”

He also said that strict action would be taken against those arrested.

People who provoked the protesters will be also taken to task, the SP said.

Meanwhile, All India Muslim Jamaat Chief Shahbuddin Razvi Barelvi made a heartfelt appeal to the minority community in Sambhal. He urged them to uphold the values of peace and tranquillity, refrain from vandalism, and put an end to stone pelting. His words carry the weight of community leadership and the responsibility of maintaining harmony.

“Islam has given the message of peace; follow it. Jama Masjid is a historical mosque. The legal battle will be fought, and we will win,” he told the people of his community.

The Supreme Court had ordered a survey after a petition was filed stating that the mosque was originally Harihar temple.

Petitioner Vishnu Shankar Jain contended that Mughal emperor Babar razed the Harihar temple to build the mosque.

BSP supremo and former UP CM Mayawati blamed the administration for the tension in the area and appealed to the people to maintain peace, law and order.

Samaj Party said that the BJP administration in the state was responsible for maintaining law and order, and it (SP) could do nothing in this case.

The BJP government in the state said they would not tolerate any hooliganism and would implement law and order firmly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

–IANS