Rahul Gandhi and Congress MPs to Visit Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, Following Recent Violence
New Delhi [India], December 3: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, along with other Congress MPs, will visit Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, following the violence that erupted in the district last month, sources said.
The violence in Sambhal took place on November 24 during an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) examination of a Mughal-era mosque. The examination was prompted by a petition filed in a local court, claiming that the mosque site had once been a Hindu temple, specifically a Harihar temple. The incident led to the deaths of four individuals and injuries to several others, including both police officials and locals.
Earlier today, Congress leader Sachin Chaudhary accused the Uttar Pradesh police of blocking a party delegation from traveling to Sambhal. He also called for a CBI investigation into the violence. Chaudhary stated, “The police are preventing us from going to Sambhal. They had earlier given us permission for December 2. I want to ask, if we cannot inquire about the well-being of the victims, isn’t it a matter of shame? We demand a CBI inquiry into the incident. We plan to leave at 1 PM and reach Sambhal by 2 PM. The police have been stationed at my residence since morning.”
On November 27, the Divisional Commissioner of the Moradabad Division, Aunjaneya Kumar Singh, announced that 27 people had been arrested in connection with the violence. “Seven FIRs have been registered, including four filed by the families of the deceased. Among those arrested are 3 women and 3 juveniles, who have been sent to juvenile homes. We have identified 74 people through footage and other sources, and are continuing to identify others. Their photos and videos have been released to assist in their identification,” Singh said.