Judicial panel members may reach Sambhal today to probe Nov 24 violence

Two members of a three-member judicial commission formed by the Uttar Pradesh government to probe the November 24 violence in Sambhal reached Moradabad on Saturday, and are likely to visit the violence-hit town on Sunday, officials said.

Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said, "Two members of the commission reached here on Saturday. The third member will join them on Sunday as they head to Sambhal."  However, Singh did not identify the members who reached Moradabad on Saturday.

Violence erupted in Sambhal on November 24 during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid there, killing four persons and injuring many others.

The survey was linked to a petition claiming that a Harihar temple once stood at the site of the mosque.

The commission formed via a notification on November 28 has been directed to complete its probe within two months. Any extension of this timeline will require government approval.

The commission headed by retired Allahabad High Court judge Devendra Kumar Arora includes ex-IAS officer Amit Mohan Prasad, and Arvind Kumar Jain, a retired IPS officer, as the other members.

It has been entrusted with the task of examining whether the clashes were spontaneous or part of a well-planned criminal conspiracy, as well as the preparedness of the police and the administration in handling the situation.

The commission will also analyse the circumstances leading to the violence, and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents for occurring in the future.