SAMBHAL, INDIA — Tensions escalated in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district after a violent clash broke out during a court-ordered survey investigating claims that the Jama Masjid was constructed over the demolished Hari Har Mandir, a sacred Hindu temple.
Onlookers reported a large group of protesters throwing stones, setting police vehicles ablaze, and confronting law enforcement and survey teams attempting to carry out the judicial mandate. Multiple injuries were reported among police personnel and survey officials.
Local authorities condemned the violence, describing it as a deliberate attempt to obstruct the legal process. Meanwhile, community representatives accused authorities of targeting their religious sites, exacerbating communal tensions.
BJP leaders, including Member of Parliament Kangana Ranaut, have pointed to Sambhal as evidence of broader cultural and legal challenges, asserting that “no-go zones” dominated by Sharia law undermine Indian sovereignty.
The Sambhal incident is the latest flashpoint in ongoing disputes over historical religious sites in India. Similar cases include the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura, where Hindu groups have sought to reclaim sites they believe were built over demolished temples.
Observers warn that such conflicts risk deepening communal divisions across India, emphasizing the need for legal processes and dialogue to address grievances. Authorities have vowed to restore order in Sambhal and ensure the survey’s completion.