Sambhal violence was 'pre-planned', judicial panel names SP leaders in report

NEW DELHI , August 6: A judicial commission probing the 2024 Sambhal violence has concluded that the unrest was "pre-planned" and has named Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Zia ur Rahman Barq and Suhail Iqbal, son of SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood, in its findings. The report, tabled in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday, alleges that the violence was the result of a coordinated conspiracy rather than a spontaneous reaction to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-monitored survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid.

 

 

According to the commission, misinformation surrounding the mosque survey was deliberately spread among members of the Muslim community to create fear and resentment. The report states that false narratives were circulated claiming that the survey posed a threat to the mosque, leading to the mobilisation of large crowds even before the survey began. Investigators concluded that these rumours played a significant role in escalating tensions and triggering violence.

 

The commission further alleged that the violence followed a well-planned modus operandi. It claimed that political influence and coordinated mobilisation were used to gather people at the site, where the crowd allegedly attacked security personnel with stones and firearms. According to the report, rioters also attempted to snatch weapons from police personnel in an effort to intensify the confrontation. The panel named SP MP Zia ur Rahman Barq and Suhail Iqbal, son of SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood, while examining the alleged conspiracy behind the violence.

 

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The report also rejected allegations that the police were responsible for the deaths during the clashes. It concluded that the bullets which caused the fatalities were not fired by the police and recommended further investigation into those responsible for the gunfire. The violence, which erupted on November 24, 2024, claimed four lives and left several others injured.

 

The three-member judicial panel submitted its findings to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who had earlier indicated that the report had uncovered evidence of a larger conspiracy behind the violence.

 

The report additionally highlights a significant demographic shift in Sambhal, stating that the Hindu population has declined from around 45 per cent at the time of Independence to nearly 15 per cent, while Muslims now constitute 85 per cent of the district's population. Speaking at a development event in Sambhal, Chief Minister Adityanath referred to the report and said the state was moving away from "appeasement" politics towards a policy of "satisfaction" for all sections of society. He also linked the Sambhal violence to what he described as a history of targeted actions against Hindus under previous state governments.