Understanding the Sambhal violence that led to five deaths

In Focus by The Hindu · Dec 5, 2024 · 29m

Five people were killed and many were injured in clashes that followed protests over a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Chandausi, in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district.

The police have arrested dozens of people and registered cases against 400 people. The UP government has ordered a judicial probe into the violence.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has described the survey and the violence as a “well-planned conspiracy aimed at hurting communal harmony”. There are also multiple versions of who fired at the protesters, causing their deaths.

So, why did the civil court order a survey of…