Court to hear Sambhal namaz ban plea July 21

Sambhal

A Chandausi court in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district has scheduled a hearing on July 21 to consider a plea seeking a ban on namaz at the disputed Shahi Jama Masjid, claimed by some to be the site of the historic Harihar Temple. The plea, filed by Simran Gupta, argues that if the place is under dispute, both Hindu and Muslim prayers should be stopped. It also seeks to seal the mosque and hand it over to the Sambhal District Magistrate.

Civil Judge (Senior Division) Aditya Singh has accepted the petition. Earlier, the Allahabad High Court had allowed a lower court survey of the mosque, rejecting a challenge by the Muslim side, and said the trial could continue.

The original case was filed in November 2023 by eight Hindu petitioners, including lawyers Hari Shankar Jain and Vishnu Shankar Jain. Two surveys of the mosque were conducted in November. The last hearing in the case was on April 28.

Advocate Babu Lal Saxena, representing petitioner Gupta, said religious activities by either group should be halted until a final verdict is reached. On the other hand, the mosque’s lawyer, Qasim Jamal, said they would follow the court's decision.

The dispute turned violent during the second survey on November 24, 2024, resulting in four deaths and injuries to 29 policemen. FIRs were filed against MP Ziaur Rahman Barq, mosque president Zafar Ali, and over 2,700 others. So far, 96 people have been arrested in connection with the incident.