Allahabad: Survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, will continue by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Allahabad High Court held on Monday. The High Court was hearing a plea by the Mosque Committee against the November 2024 trial court order that permitted the survey. The order was passed by Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal.
The survey was initially ordered by the administration after allegations were made that a temple was demolished to construct the 500-year-old Mughal-era mosque.
Massive violence broke out at Sambhal on November 24, 2024, after a team comprising ASI officials and those from the administration reached the mosque to carry out the survey, as per the trial court’s order. Four persons were killed after a mob clashed with the police.
The violence had an impact on the country’s political scenario with the Opposition Congress and Samajwadi Party taking on the BJP and accusing it of persecuting minorities.
A suit had originally been filed before the Sambhal Civil Court, claiming that remains of a temple could be found under the mosque. On November 19, 2024, the Civil Court directed the ASI, along with an Advocate Commissioner, to survey the Shahi Jama Masjid premises.
The violence broke out when the team reached the mosque for the second round of the survey. The Civil Court then ordered submission of the survey report by November 29, 2024.
The Jama Masjid Management Committee filed a civil revision petition before the High Court, challenging the maintainability of the suit that led to a survey order by the Sambhal Civil Court.
The High Court held its first hearing on January 8 and ordered on the Civil Court’s survey directive and also stayed proceedings in the original suit pending before the lower court.
