3 Dead, Over 30 Cops Injured: Violence In UP’s Sambhal Over Mosque Survey

Sambhal, UP: 

Chaos erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal this morning as a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Jama Masjid led to violent clashes between the locals and the police, leading to the deaths of three individuals. The mosque is at the centre of a contentious legal battle over claims that it was built on the site of a Hindu temple. The schools in Sambhal and nearby areas have been shut till November 25.

The violence, police said, started when a crowd gathered near the mosque as the survey team, led by an “Advocate Commissioner,” began its work. 

The crowd swelled to nearly a thousand people, and they tried to prevent the police from entering the mosque. Some people in the crowd threw stones at the police personnel stationed at the site. The mob also set ablaze more than ten vehicles. 

The police responded with tear gas. In the chaos, two persons were killed and over 30 police personnel were injured.