Sambhal violence: Police release photos of rioters including 3 women

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh authorities, on Wednesday, November 27, released photographs of several individuals involved in the violent clashes in Sambhal on Sunday, which saw a mob attack police officers and a mosque survey team. Among the rioters identified, three women have been accused of assisting stone-pelters in escalating the violence during the deadly confrontation between protesters and law enforcement.

Uttar Pradesh authorities, on Wednesday, November 27, released photographs of several individuals involved in the violent clashes in Sambhal on Sunday, November 24. The violence erupted when a mob attacked police officers and a mosque survey team. Among those identified, three women have been accused of aiding stone-pelters, escalating the deadly confrontation between protesters and law enforcement.

The violent incident on Sunday led to the deaths of four young men and injuries to numerous people, including over a dozen police officers. The unrest began when a mob gathered outside the city’s Jama Masjid to protest against a court-ordered survey.

Police sources revealed that investigations are uncovering startling details as suspects and accused individuals are being questioned. Authorities maintain that the attack was premeditated, allegedly orchestrated with support from some influential figures. One suspect informed police that women were specifically instructed to throw stones at officers from rooftops.

Reports suggest that the UP government is considering strict actions against those involved in the arson, destruction, and vandalism of public property in Kot Garvi, the area surrounding the centuries-old mosque. As the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team conducted the mosque survey, the mob set several vehicles on fire, including police cars, prompting a retaliatory response from law enforcement.

A Magisterial enquiry is underway to investigate the violence. Authorities are also reviewing CCTV and drone footage to identify the perpetrators responsible for attacking the police team. As of now, 27 people have been arrested, and over 100 others have been identified for stone-pelting.

In a further development, Sambhal MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq and Sohail Iqbal, the son of MLA Iqbal Mehmood, both from the Samajwadi Party (SP), have been charged by Sambhal police for alleged involvement in the riots. This has sparked a war of words between Akhilesh Yadav, leader of the Samajwadi Party, who has blamed the state administration and UP Police for the violence, and the ruling BJP, which accuses SP lawmakers of inciting the mob.

The violence stemmed from a survey of the 16th-century Jama Masjid, a Mughal-era mosque in Muradabad’s Sambhal, ordered by the court after petitions claimed that a Harihar temple once stood at the site.

With IANS inputs