Sambhal violence: 47 held, 91 suspects still at large, says UP police

Amid the ongoing row over Sambhal violence and the subsequent surveys, the Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday said that a total of 47 people have been arrested while the hunt is on for 91 more accused in connection with the violence in which four people lost their lives.

The case pertains to the violence near Sambhal's Jama Masjid area on November 24. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shrish Chandra said that 7 more people were arrested in the case on Tuesday.

"A violent incident took place on 24th November near the Jama Masjid area. A total of 47 people have been arrested in connection with the incident. 91 people are yet to be arrested," ANI quoted Chandra as saying.

"Today seven more people have been arrested. Evidence is being collected in connection with the incident and other accused will also be arrested soon," ASP Sambhal Shrish Chandra told ANI.

Security stepped up in UP's Sambhal

The recent violence in UP's Sambhal sparked concerns over public safety, leading authorities to ramp up security measures in the area, reported ANI.

Police teams are working in close coordination with other law enforcement agencies to locate the suspects who are currently on the run.

On Monday, Sambhal's Superintendent of Police, Krishan Kumar Bishnoi, addressed the situation, confirming that the violence—which involved stone-pelting during a mosque survey—is under thorough investigation.

READ | Uttar Pradesh: YouTuber arrested for threatening Sambhal police for interview

Authorities have assured the public that efforts are underway to maintain law and order and bring the responsible individuals to justice.

"Violence that took place here on November 24, to investigate that - we wrote to Lucknow FSL and the team (FSL) came and recreated the crime scene," Bishnoi stated.

In connection with the Sambhal violence probe, a forensic team on Monday arrived on the site to inspect the location where the stone-pelting incident took place.

Akhilesh Yadav on excavation, survey in Sambhal

As the excavation work continued in Sambhal on Monday after a stepwell was unearthed, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav said that they (BJP) will keep searching like this and one day will end up digging their government.

"They will keep searching like this and one day, by digging and digging, they will end up digging their own government," Akhilesh said.

This came after an excavation team from the Archaeological Survey of India unearthed a stepwell in the Chandausi area of Sambhal district on December 22.