Sambhal Violence: Judicial Panel Visits Shahi Jama Masjid, Affected Areas

The government formed the panel under the chairmanship of retired High Court judge Devendra Arora comprising former IPS officers AK Jain and Amit Mohan Prasad.

Sambhal: A three-member judicial committee on Tuesday visited the areas affected by the violence that erupted on November 24 last year in Sambhal including the Shahi Jama Masjid, the epicentre of it.

A ruckus during a survey of the mosque led to violence that claimed five people and left 29 police personnel injured. Many vehicles, including that of police, were burnt in the arson, firing and stone pelting that followed. To investigate the matter in detail, the government formed the panel under the chairmanship of retired High Court judge Devendra Arora comprising former IPS officers AK Jain and Amit Mohan Prasad.

The committee visited the spot for the first time on December 1 last year in the presence of the DM and SP. In their second visit on Tuesday, chairman Arora visited the Shahi Jama Masjid and the area at its backdrop where riots broke out and Pakistan-made cartridges were recovered.

They enquired about the incident from the officials to delve deeper into the matter and reached the PWD guesthouse to record the statement of the violence-affected people.

"People would like to meet, want to talk. We will listen to them so that no one has to come to Lucknow. For their convenience, we have come here and set up a camp. I will not give any statement today on the violence as I am not feeling mentally and physically fit for it. The team of the Judicial Inquiry Commission will come again next week, then I will give my statement," committee member Jain said.