Sambhal court rejects bail petitions of 17 accused in Nov 24 violence

A court in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh on Friday rejected the bail petition of 17 accused in the violence that took place here on November 24 last year, a government advocate said on Saturday.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Nirbhay Narain Rai had on Thursday rejected 18 such bail applications. Till now, 65 bail petitions have been rejected in this case and the remaining petitions are to be heard on other dates, Additional District Government Advocate Hari Om Prakash Saini told PTI on Saturday. 

Saini also said, "We presented arguments before the honourable court that four innocent people have lost their lives in the incident of November 24. These accused used such means with the intention to kill the police, which included throwing stones, firing was also done. Police have identified the accused on the basis of video footage.

"Bullets and other items have also been recovered from them. All these arguments were presented by me in the court, on the basis of which all the petitions of yesterday and the day before yesterday were rejected by the honourable court," Saini said.

In this case, 87 petitions were filed for bail, in which 65 petitions have been dismissed till now and the remaining are pending for hearing on other dates, he added.

On November 24, protesting locals clashed with security personnel, which led to the death of four people and injuries to dozens, during the court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid following claims that a Harihar temple previously stood at the site.