Sambhal violence: High Court extends stay on order directing FIR against police officers

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday extended the interim stay on the Sambhal chief judicial magistrate’s order that directed the registration of a first information report against several police officers in connection with the violence in the town in November 2024, Live Law reported.

On January 9, Sambhal Chief Judicial Magistrate Vibhanshu Sudheer ordered that a case be registered against Additional Superintendent of Police Anuj Chaudhary, Inspector Anuj Tomar and 15 to 20 unidentified police officers in connection with allegations that a man, Alam, had been shot and injured during the 2024 unrest in the town.

Violence broke out on that day after a group of Muslims objected to a trial court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Chandausi town.

The trial court had ordered the survey in a suit claiming that the mosque had been built in 1526 by Mughal ruler Babar on the site of the “centuries-old Shri Hari Har Temple dedicated to Lord Kalki”.

Five persons were killed in the violence.

Chaudhary was the circle officer of Sambhal at the time.

Yameen, the father of the man who was allegedly shot, said that his son, Alam, had left home that day to sell rusks. He alleged that Alam had been shot by the police near the mosque.

The chief judicial magistrate had said that while it was clear that Alam had been hit by gunshots,...

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