Sambhal Violence: UP Police Files Chargesheet Against Samajwadi Party MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq, Jama Masjid Sadar And 21 Others

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday (18 June) filed a chargesheet against Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq and 22 others in connection with the communal violence that erupted near the disputed Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal in November 2024, Indian Express reported.

Sambhal Superintendent of Police K K Bishnoi informed the media that a total of 92 people had been arrested and sent to jail so far in connection with the case.

He added that chargesheets were filed on Wednesday against MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq, Jama Masjid Sadar chief Zafar Ali, and others under case number 335/2024.

An official statement from the Sambhal Police stated that Barq has been accused of provoking the crowd through provocative speeches.

He was questioned for nearly four hours by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on 8 April as part of the probe into the violence.

The chargesheet was submitted to the special MP/MLA court of the civil judge (senior division) at the district and sessions court in Sambhal's Chandausi. It is based on an FIR lodged at the Kotwali Sambhal police station.

Communal clashes broke out on  24 November 2024, following a court-ordered survey at the Shahi Jama Masjid in response to a petition claiming that the mosque was constructed over a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Kalki.

The unrest resulted in four deaths, injuries to several police and administrative personnel, and looting of weapons.

“Some anti-social elements, criminals and certain political people to claim political relevance incited violence at the Shahi Jama Masjid on November 24 in which 4 people were killed and several police and administrative officials were injured and their weapons looted,” the police statement was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.

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