Sambhal Mosque Violence: A Sambhal court orders FIRs against 12 police officers over alleged police firing near Shahi Jama Masjid during November 2024 unrest, marking a key step toward accountability.
By Qalam Times News Network
Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh | January 10, 2025
Sambhal Mosque :Judicial Action After Allegations of Police Firing Near Shahi Jama Masjid
Sambhal Mosque Violence took a significant legal turn after a court in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district directed the police to register criminal cases against 12 police officers, including senior officials, for their alleged involvement in a shooting incident during unrest near the historic Shahi Jama Masjid in November 2024.
The order was passed by Chief Judicial Magistrate Vibhanshu Sudhir following a petition filed by Yameen, a resident of the Khaggu Sarai Anjuman area. In his plea, Yameen accused the police of firing on civilians during the violence, claiming that his son, Alam, suffered a bullet injury despite having no role in the unrest.
According to the court directive, FIRs must be lodged against all named officers as well as several unidentified police personnel. Among those named are Anuj Chaudhary, who was serving as the Circle Officer of Sambhal at the time and is currently posted as Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) in Firozabad, and Anuj Tomar, the then Station House Officer of Sambhal Kotwali Chandausi. Sambhal Mosque Violence has remained under scrutiny partly due to Chaudhary’s controversial remarks targeting Muslims after the incident, which drew sharp criticism from civil rights groups.
In his petition, Yameen stated that his son Alam had stepped out on November 24, 2024, to sell rusk and biscuits when he was caught in the chaos triggered by police action near the mosque. He alleged that police opened fire during the unrest, and Alam was struck by a bullet. Fearing further repercussions, the family initially avoided approaching authorities and sought medical treatment for Alam while keeping him hidden.
Eyewitnesses and families of victims have claimed that at least five Muslim residents were killed during the violence, most of them allegedly due to police firing. The unrest broke out during a court-mandated survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, ordered after a civil suit claimed that the mosque had originally been a temple. The survey was conducted in two phases on November 19 and November 24, during which tensions escalated as large crowds gathered in the area.
After hearing the petition on January 9, the magistrate ordered immediate registration of cases against the accused officers. Advocate Chaudhary Akhtar Hussain, representing Yameen, confirmed that the family was informed of the court’s decision on Tuesday evening, although the written copy of the order was yet to be received as it was issued late in the day.
In the aftermath of the violence, police registered 12 cases across Sambhal Kotwali and Nakhasa police stations. Authorities named several individuals in these cases, including Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rahman Barq and Suhail Iqbal, son of SP MLA Iqbal Mahmood. Officials claimed that more than 2,200 people were booked in connection with the unrest.
So far, 134 individuals have been sent to jail, including Zafar Ali, the president of the Shahi Jama Masjid and a practicing advocate. Three women are also among those arrested. Police have additionally detained three alleged associates of absconding gangster Shariq Satha—identified as Mulla Afroz, Waris, and Ghulam—linking them to the violence.
Zafar Ali was earlier released from Moradabad jail in August 2024 after the Allahabad High Court granted him bail. He had spent 131 days in custody following his arrest in March 2024.
The legal push for accountability has been supported by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR). Welcoming the court’s order, APCR Secretary Nadeem Khan said the organization hopes this decision will encourage more affected families to come forward and seek justice for alleged police excesses during the Sambhal Mosque Violence.
