Authorities in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district have extended the ban on outsiders entering the district till December 10 as part of efforts to maintain order following violent clashes over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid.
The restrictions, initially set to expire on Saturday, were announced on the same day a 15-member Samajwadi Party delegation planned to visit Sambhal to investigate the November 24 violence.
District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya also extended curbs under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita until December 31. “No outsider, any social organisation or public representative can enter into the borders of the district without seeking the permission of the competent authority till December 10,” Pensiya said in a statement,as PTI reported.
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The clashes erupted as protesters gathered near the Mughal-era mosque, alleging it was once a Harihar temple. Four people died, and several others were injured in stone pelting and arson. Police denied firing at protesters, but tensions have persisted.
The Supreme Court has since ordered a halt to the trial court’s proceedings and survey. Samajwadi Party leaders condemned the restrictions, calling them a move to stifle dissent. “The government is acting in an autocratic manner,” said Samajwadi MP Harendra Malik, who was stopped by police in Ghaziabad.
Leader of Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey, who planned to lead the delegation, staged a sit-in at his Lucknow residence after being urged by state officials to cancel the visit. Pandey alleged that the government sought to “hide its mistakes” in Sambhal.
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Congress state president Ajay Rai announced that a party delegation would visit Sambhal on December 2 to assess the situation.
The district has implemented strict measures, including social media monitoring and prohibiting public effigy burning. Cyber cafes must maintain visitor logs as part of enhanced surveillance.