On Thursday, Sambhal’s District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya confirmed that over 400 individuals have been identified in connection with the violent clashes that erupted on November 24 during a court-ordered survey of a mosque. Pensiya revealed that posters of those involved would be displayed later that day. However, the posters would exclude those who have already been arrested in connection with the incident. A peace committee meeting was also scheduled for 3 p.m. to discuss the situation further. Pensiya added that the design of the posters was being finalized and would be officially issued after discussions.
The violence occurred when an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team was surveying a Mughal-era mosque, prompted by a petition claiming the mosque was built on the site of a Hindu temple. The clashes led to four deaths and multiple injuries among both police officers and residents.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi, was prevented from visiting Sambhal on Wednesday. The Uttar Pradesh Police stopped them at the Ghazipur border, citing security reasons. Rahul Gandhi criticized the BJP government, calling the move unconstitutional and a suppression of his rights as the Leader of the Opposition. He posted on X: “The police stopped us from going to Sambhal. As the Leader of the Opposition, it is my right and duty to go there. Yet I was stopped. I am willing to go alone, but even that was not allowed. This is against the Constitution. Why is the BJP afraid? Why is it using the police to conceal its failures?”
The restrictions led to significant disruptions on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, causing long traffic jams as Congress workers gathered in defiance of the barricades. Commuters faced severe delays due to the police checks, with vehicles moving at a slow pace. The police took extensive measures to prevent any untoward incidents, further exacerbating the traffic chaos.