More than 400 individuals have been identified, with 32 arrested in connection with the violence that erupted in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, on November 24. District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya stated that posters of those involved in the violence would be displayed on Thursday.
Details of the Violence
The unrest occurred during an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) examination of a Mughal-era mosque, which was ordered by a local court following claims that the mosque was built on the site of a Harihar temple. The violence resulted in four deaths and several injuries among police officers and locals.
On Wednesday, Congress Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, was stopped at the Ghazipur border in Ghaziabad while attempting to visit Sambhal with his sister Priyanka Gandhi. Rahul criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for restricting his constitutional right to visit Sambhal, calling the action unconstitutional.
Traffic Chaos at Ghazipur Border
Commuters faced a massive traffic jam at the Ghazipur border on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway as Congress workers gathered, defying barricades set up by the Uttar Pradesh Police to prevent Rahul Gandhi’s visit. Despite the congestion, the other carriageway remained open but moving very slowly.
Rahul Gandhi expressed his frustration on X, stating, “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? Why is it suppressing the message of truth and brotherhood?” He also shared a video of his interaction with a police officer.