Communal anxieties dull Eid sheen in scarred Sambhal

Kot Garvi in Sambhal, a Muslim-majority city in western Uttar Pradesh, is eerily quiet.

- Rajesh Kumar Singh and Deepak Lavania

Kot Garvi in Sambhal, a Muslim-majority city in western Uttar Pradesh, is eerily quiet. Eid is around the corner but there is little sign of the all-night preparations or public festivities.

Ayesha Bano, a 45-year-old widow, clutches a photo of her son Naeem, killed in the clashes. "He went to see what was happening at the masjid," she said. "The police deny shooting, but I saw the hole in his chest." In neighbourhoods such as Hindpura and Nakhasa, such stories echo. Mohammad Shoaib, 28, mourns his brother Bilal. "They fired on us. Now they call us rioters. Eid feels like a funeral."

Nearly four months after the violent clashes of November 24, 2024, sparked by a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid over claims that it was built atop a Hindu temple, the city's scars are yet to heal. The memory of the five dead men lingers, drowning the festive spirit in grief, fear, and uncertainty. Barricades and patrols dominate the city, amplifying the tension as families grapple with loss and legal battles. Police say they have detained 80 people and are looking for 400 others, alleging that they were involved in pelting stones, arson and attacking security personnel.

Sambhal police chief Krishna Kumar Bishnoi, said the situation is under control.

"Chargesheets have been filed in six out of 12 cases. Others are being compiled on the basis of evidence. We're assuring everyone that no action will be taken against the innocent," he said.

But the tensions have cast a shadow on festivities. Across the city, nearly 1,000 homes have been abandoned. Muslims, who form over 75% of Sambhal's population, say they don't feel like celebrating what used to be the biggest festival in town.