The death toll from police firing during clashes in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal has climbed to six, with all victims being Muslim men aged between their teens and early twenties, according to AFP reports.
The violence erupted on Sunday, November 24, when residents protested a land survey at the Shahi Jama Masjid by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The survey was conducted under a court order to investigate claims of a Hindu temple beneath the mosque, despite the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991, which protects the religious character of sites as they were on August 15, 1947.
The ASI team was accompanied by members of Hindutva groups, sparking resistance from the local Muslim community. Tensions escalated into stone-pelting, leading police to open fire on protesters. Three young men were killed on the spot, and several others were injured, two of whom later succumbed to their wounds.
In the aftermath, Zafar Ali, the lawyer representing the Shahi Jama Masjid, was arrested on Tuesday after making explosive allegations against authorities.
During a press conference on Monday, Zafar Ali claimed he had been summoned by senior officials to help pacify the crowd. However, he alleged that he overheard the district inspector general (DIG), superintendent of police (SP), and district magistrate (DM) discussing plans to open fire on the Muslim protesters.
“The deaths of these young men are not accidents but premeditated,” Ali said before his arrest.
The violence has drawn widespread condemnation, with critics highlighting the involvement of Hindutva groups and questioning the legality of the court-ordered survey under the 1991 Act. Activists and political leaders have called for an independent inquiry into the police firing and the circumstances leading to the clashes.
“This is a failure of law and order and an affront to justice,” said a senior opposition leader. “The government must be held accountable for these deaths.”
The area remains under heavy police deployment, and tensions are high as families of the victims demand justice. Community leaders have appealed for calm, while legal experts question the validity of the survey and the actions of law enforcement.
