Sambhal Mosque Dispute: Friday Prayers Held Peacefully; SP, Cong Delegations To Visit District

Friday prayers at the Shahi Jama Masjid and other places in this district passed off peacefully amid tight security in Sambhal.

Sambhal:Friday prayers at the Shahi Jama Masjid and other places in this district passed off peacefully amid tight security while Internet services were restored here, days after a violent protest against a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era mosque claimed four lives.

The district has been put under a tight security blanket with drones in the air, additional police personnel on the ground and CCTV cameras installed near the disputed mosque for proper surveillance. The administration has also imposed prohibitory orders in the district, stopping the entry of outsiders till Saturday.

Ahead of the prayers on Friday, district authorities appealed to the locals to offer their prayers in the nearest mosques rather than gathering at the Shahi Jama Masjid. "Internet services were restored in Sambhal at 4 pm on Friday," said District Information Officer Brijesh Kumar.

A 15-member delegation of the Samajwadi Party will visit Sambhal on Saturday to gather information about the violence that broke out last Sunday. A report on the matter would be submitted to party president Akhilesh Yadav. A Congress delegation will visit the district on December 2.

The Supreme Court's order for the Sambhal trial court to halt proceedings in the case and its survey at Chandausi was welcomed by both parties to the case -- the Hindu litigants who claimed that a temple stood at the site and the masjid committee that opposed it. Earlier in the day, a court here directed the court-appointed commissioner to submit within 10 days the survey report on the mosque and fixed January 8 as the next date of the hearing.

The Divisional Commissioner of Moradabad, Aunjaneya Kumar Singh, said security measures have been reinforced at sensitive religious sites in the area and around the court in Chandausi. Tension has been brewing in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal since November 19 when the court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid was carried out following claims that a Harihar temple previously stood at the site.

Violence erupted on November 24 as protesters gathered near the mosque and clashed with security personnel, leading to stone pelting and arson. Four people died and several others were injured in the violence. Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel has announced the formation of a three-member judicial inquiry commission to probe the November 24 violence in Sambhal. It has been directed to complete its inquiry within two months from the date of the notification.

As the dust settles after the violence, residents hope for peace and stability even amid a future that portends more court hearings and occasional flare-ups. Zafar Ali, the head of Jama Masjid, said, "I had issued a video, appealing for peace and order. Today, everyone came to offer namaz peacefully, and the prayers were completed without any untoward incident. It is our endeavour that peace prevails in the days to come."

Shane Rab, who lives close to the Jama Masjid, said, "Sambhal is getting fed up with such incidents. These events are a stain on our town and everyone wants peace. I believe peace will soon return." The business community rued the immense losses they suffered due to the unrest.

"Business was down for the past few days. People come in the morning and leave empty-handed. But now, after today's peaceful prayers, I believe peace will return and business will pick up again," said Mushahid Hussain, a spare parts shopkeeper. The area worst hit by the violence was the local jewellery market, around half a kilometre from the Shahi Jama Masjid.

Ajay Kumar Gupta, a trader in the area, said, "Our sales have dropped drastically despite this being the wedding season. In the last four days, only three customers visited my shop. "The losses are in the crores for many shop owners." Kushanawaz, an electronics shop owner said, adding, "We've been sitting idle, struggling to make ends meet. The violence has hurt us badly."

Vikas Verma, a teacher, said, "The people of Sambhal are deeply saddened by these incidents. We want peace and tranquillity to prevail. After these troubling times, we are all committed to working together to restore harmony. Soon, Sambhal will be back on the path to progress."

The Samajwadi Party's state chief Shyamlal Pal said the party's 15-member delegation that would visit Sambhal on Saturday include him as well as the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Mata Prasad Pandey, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Lal Bihari Yadav, and MPs Ziaur Rahman Barq, Harendra Malik, Ruchi Veera, Iqra Hasan and Neeraj Maurya.

Samajwadi party MLAs Kamal Akhtar, Ravidas Mehrotra, Nawab Iqbal Mahmood and Pinky Singh Yadav will also be part of the delegation, he said. Meanwhile, Bareilly's Circle Officer (First) Pankaj Kumar Srivastava told reporters that Ittehad-e-Millat Council president Maulana Tauqeer Raza and 15 people have been detained in Bareilly district and stopped from going to Sambhal.