3 dead in clashes over mosque survey in UP

TENSION WAS BREWING IN THE AREA SINCE TUESDAY AFTER A COURT ORDERED A SURVEY OF THE SHAHI JAMA MASJID

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At least three people were killed and dozens, including security personnel, injured after protesters opposing a court-ordered survey of a mosque clashed with police in the Sambhal city of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, officials aware of the matter said.

Tension was brewing in the area since Tuesday after a civil court directed the advocate commissioner to conduct a survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid. The court order came on a petition filed by advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain and six others, claiming that the mosque was built after razing a Hindu temple in 1529. An "initial survey" of the mosque was held the same day.

Accompanied by police personnel, the survey team comprising court-appointed advocate commissioner Ramesh Raghav, district magistrate Rajendra Pensiya and superintendent of police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi, reached the disputed site on Sunday morning to conduct a second inspection of the mosque.

As the team began the survey, a crowd gathered outside the mosque and started raising slogans, Moradabad divisional commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said. He added that the mob pelted police with stones, prompting the personnel to use "mild force" to disperse the crowd. The situation worsened after that as the protesters resorted to arson and firing, Singh said.

"The survey was proceeding peacefully until a group of people gathered near the mosque and began raising slogans. When the police attempted to clear the area, a group of miscreants in the crowd started pelting stones, and the police dispersed them. Then, a larger mob of 2,000-3,000 people gathered and started stone-pelting again after the survey was completed. Another group started setting vehicles on fire and also began firing," Singh said.

Three men-Naeem, Bilal, and Nauman-died of gunshot wounds as the violence spread.

Their full names and ages were not immediately available.