Sambhal Violence: Police release photos of accused and seek public’s help in identification

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday released photos of people allegedly involved in the mob that clashed with police in Sambhal on November 24. Police released snapshots of CCTV footage and appealed to the public for help in identifying suspected rioters.

Police have so far arrested 27 people in connection with the violence, which left four people dead and many injured. Of them, 25 were imprisoned and three detained minors were placed in correctional homes.

Meanwhile, the Yogi Adityanath government has stated that posters with images of the accused will be put up in public places and a reward may also be announced for people who help identify the suspects. The government has already issued a regulation regarding recovery of compensation and putting up posters against miscreants and criminals.

A large crowd of around 800 people gathered in Sambhal on Sunday to oppose a court-ordered examination of the 16th-century mosque. The petitioner claimed that the mosque was built after the temple was demolished.

Multiple FIRs have been registered in the case and one of them names Zia-ur-Rehman Barq, Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal, as the main accused. Sohail Iqbal, son of local party MLA Iqbal Mehmood, is another accused named in the same FIR. Cases have also been filed against over 2,750 unidentified suspects.

Sambhal police in the FIR stated that Barq had visited Shahi Jama Masjid a few days before the violence and made provocative remarks that led to the incident. It was also alleged that he mobilized the crowd to create social tensions for political gain. Another FIR stated that the mob snatched firearms from the police, used country-made weapons and attacked the police with the intention of killing them.