Bhoomi Pujan done: Construction of police outpost begins near Shahi mosque in Sambhal
The police outpost, which is likely to be named Satyavrat, will come up on open land in front of the Jama Masjid
Over a month after the November 24 violence claimed four lives, construction of a police outpost began near the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal on Saturday with “bhoomi pujan” (groundbreaking ceremony) and other Vedic rituals.
The police outpost, which is likely to be named Satyavrat, will come up on open land in front of the Jama Masjid. Police officials of Sambhal, including additional superintendent of police Shrish Chandra, were present as the priest, Shobhit Shastri, performed the rituals during the ceremony.
Superintendent of police, Sambhal, Krishna Kumar Bishnoi said, “The police outpost is being constructed to beef up security near the Jama Masjid.” Shobhit Shastri said he has suggested to name the police outpost ‘Satyavrat’ as, in the ancient period, Sambhal was known by this name.
After the November 24 violence, police were deployed near the Jama Masjid. This police outpost is part of the plan to beef up security near the mosque, Bishnoi added.
Additional superintendent of police Shrish Chandra told reporters, “The bhoomi pujan for the new police outpost near the Shahi Jama Masjid was completed. This outpost is being established from a security perspective. There was a long-standing demand from locals for a permanent outpost.”
Sambhal district magistrate Rajender Pensiya said, “CCTV cameras will also be installed at specific locations across the district.” Violence erupted in Sambhal on November 24 during the second round of a court -ordered survey of the Jama Masjid.
Following a petition by Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, the court of civil judge (senior division) on November 19 had appointed Ramesh Raghav as the advocate commissioner to carry out a survey of the Shahi mosque.
The advocate commissioner carried out an initial survey of the mosque on November 19 evening in the presence of district magistrate Rajender Pensiya and district police chief KK Bishnoi. A second round of the survey began on November 24, sparking protests and violence that claimed four lives.
The Supreme Court on November 29 ordered the Sambhal trial court not to pass any order related to the survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid while directing the Uttar Pradesh government to maintain peace and harmony in the violence-hit town.
On December 12, the apex court restrained courts across the country from admitting fresh suits or passing orders in pending ones seeking a survey of mosques to determine whether temples lie beneath them. The top court’s order halted ongoing proceedings in seven such cases in different courts across the state.
