Sambhal violence: Tensions flare in UP's Sambhal as clashes over a mosque survey lead to four deaths; district administration has barred the entry of outsiders until Nov 30
For the first time, robotic fire tenders will be deployed at Mahakumbh 2025 to enhance fire safety at the world's largest spiritual gathering, according to officials. Alongside these cutting-edge machines, 200 specially trained fire commandos will be stationed to manage emergencies and protect visitors. Additional Director General (Fire Services) Padmaja Chauhan said that three robotic fire tenders, weighing 20-25 kilograms each, will be used to reach areas inaccessible to personnel. These robots are capable of climbing stairs and extinguishing fires with precision, ensuring faster and safer responses, he said. "The inclusion of robotic fire tenders marks a technological leap in fire management. They can be easily carried and deployed in sensitive zones," Chauhan said. Additionally, Mahakumbh will feature an articulating water tower capable of spraying water from a height of 35 meters. The tower is equipped with a high-tech camera to monitor fire-prone areas from above, he said.
Two days after violence broke out during a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque, life in Sambhal was gradually returning to normal on Tuesday with schools reopening and several shops selling daily essentials resuming operations. Internet services, however, remain suspended. Police and administration officials are continuing to closely monitor the situation, with personnel deployed at key intersections and Rapid Action Force teams stationed in sensitive areas. The authorities have imposed restrictions on the entry of outsiders and public representatives into Sambhal until November 30. Although the situation in most parts of the district appeared calm, the area around Shahi Jama Masjid remained deserted. Tension had been brewing in Sambhal since November 19 when the mosque was first surveyed on the court's orders following a petition claiming that a Harihar temple had stood at the site. On Sunday, a large group of people gathered near the mosque and started shouting slogans a
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said no country can ever progress by ignoring youth power. "No country can ever progress by ignoring youth power. We have to respect their sentiments and give them proper opportunity," said Adityanath addressing the 115th foundation day celebrations of Uday Pratap College here. "The country whose youth power is frustrated, guilt-ridden and confused can never progress. Whenever there is or will be a change, it will be the youth power that will bring it about. Institutions will have to prepare themselves by keeping youth power as the focal point," he added. The chief minister said that the foundation laid by Rajarshi Uday Pratap Singh Judev in 1909 at the holy place of Baba Vishwanath reflects his great personality. Adityanath said he (Judev) must have felt that for the creation of a future India filled with nationalism, such an educational and training institution has to be provided which can give momentum to the freedom movemen
In a detailed response, Dr Pensiya clarified the timeline of events surrounding the survey, stating that the court order for the survey was received in the afternoon on November 24
Opposition members were keen to raise the issue in the House and have targeted Yogi Adityanath government over the violence
In a viral video, during the chase, the groom from Meerut leapt onto the moving truck, climbed into the cabin through its window, and compelled the driver to stop
In the wake of violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday accused the Yogi Adityanath government of creating divisions while sitting in power and urged the Supreme Court to take cognisance of the matter and deliver justice. Three people were killed and scores of others, including security and administration personnel, injured as protesters opposing a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque in Sambhal clashed with police on Sunday. In a post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, "The attitude of the state government regarding the sudden dispute in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, is very unfortunate. The way the administration acted in haste in such a sensitive matter without listening to the other side, without taking both the parties into confidence, shows that the government itself spoiled the atmosphere there." The administration did not even consider it necessary to follow the necessary procedure and duty, the Congress general secretary ...
Police have lodged seven FIRs in connection with the violence over a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque here, naming Samajwadi Party MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq and local SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood's son Sohail Iqbal as accused, officials said on Monday. The district administration has already imposed prohibitory orders and barred the entry of outsiders into Sambhal till November 30. Three people were killed and scores of others, including security personnel and administration officials, injured on Sunday as protesters opposing the survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid clashed with police. A fourth injured person died on Monday. Addressing a press conference, Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar said seven FIRs have been lodged in connection with the violence. Six people, including Barq and Iqbal, were named and 2,750 others have been mentioned as unidentified, he said. "Due to Barq's statement earlier, the situation became worse here," he added. The officer said 25 people have been arre
The district administration has imposed prohibitory orders and barred the entry of outsiders till November 30 after three men were killed and scores of others, including security and administration personnel, injured in a violence by protesters opposing a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque. The order has been issued under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), said District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya late on Sunday. "No outsiders, other social organisations or public representatives will enter the district border without the permission of the competent officer," said the order, which came into force with immediate effect. Violation of the order will be punishable under Section 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the BNS. Violence broke out in the district on Sunday as protesters opposing the survey of the Jama Masjid clashed with security personnel. The protesters torched vehicles and pelted the police with stones while the security
The Sambhal violence broke out over a court-mandated survey of the Mughal-era Jama Masjid which stemmed from a petition filed by a lawyer claiming the existence of a Hindu temple
The accident took place when the car, returning from a wedding procession in Kanpur, collided with a bus returning from a wedding procession in Baghuali, as per police officials
Congress leader Pawan Khera on Sunday condemned the incidents of violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district, describing it as a "well-planned conspiracy".The violence, which erupted during a survey of a mosque on Sunday morning, resulted in three deaths and injuries to around two dozen people, including policemen and senior officials.In a statement, Khera, Chairman, Media & Publicity (Communications Dept), AICC, said, "No citizen in Uttar Pradesh is "SAFE" under CM Adityanath, who gave the reprehensible slogan of "Batenge toh Katenge". This is evident by the highly deplorable incidents of Sambhal today. The videos of direct firing on protesters in Sambhal depict the horrifying result of a well-planned conspiracy by CM Adityanath and the BJP-RSS. Western Uttar Pradesh, which has been a symbol of goodwill and harmony for years, has today witnessed three people killed and many injured under a well-planned conspiracy.""We say with full responsibility that the Adityanath ...
A strict vegetarian diet, alcohol abstinence and behavioural training are among the steps the Uttar Pradesh Police is taking to ensure its personnel act as "servants of faith" and create a pleasant experience for the devotees gathering in this holy city for the Maha Kumbh. The Maha Kumbh will commence on January 13 on the occasion of Paush Purnima and conclude on February 26 on Mahashivratri. Senior Superintendent of Police (Kumbh) Rajesh Dwivedi emphasised that the primary focus of the police, alongside maintaining security, would be to foster a welcoming environment for the pilgrims. He said, "Our aim is to ensure that the devotees have a pleasant experience, and the police behave with warmth -- not just as enforcers of the law but as servants of faith." Police personnel to be deployed for the Maha Kumbh are undergoing behaviour-focused training at a designated facility within the mela area. External trainers are also being invited to impart lessons in etiquette and public ...
Two more infants rescued from a fire that ripped through the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College here have died, taking the total toll in the blaze to 17, a senior official said on Sunday. Thirty-nine newborns were rescued from a devastating fire in the medical college hospital's neonatal intensive care unit on the night of November 15. Dr Narendra Singh Sengar, the medical college's principal, told PTI that of the 39 infants rescued, two more died on Saturday. While 10 babies died on the night of the fire, the remainder succumbed to their "illnesses", he said. A post-mortem of the two bodies was done on Saturday and the cause of death was confirmed as "illness" in both cases. The bodies have been handed over to the family members, Sengar said. The birth weight of both infants was 800 grams and one of them also had a hole in the heart, he added. Meanwhile, Congress sources said on Sunday that the party's state chief Ajay Rai and Barabanki MP Tanuj Punia would travel to Jhansi and
The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh and the party organisation complemented each other for the party's impressive bypoll wins in the state, with key leaders attributing the win to a combination of organisational outreach and government performance. While Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary credited the win to the policies and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister and his ministers didn't fail to return the compliment by recognising the contribution of the organization and the party's foot soldiers for the achievement. The BJP won six of the nine assembly seats while its ally RLD won one, with the opposition Samajwadi Party winning the remaining two. "I think there was hardly any seat, any booth that UP BJP general secretary (organization) Dharampal Singh didn't cover. In fact, he also took care of panna pramukhs," said Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, revealing how the BJP micro managed the
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The ruling BJP and its ally RLD were leading in six of the nine assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh while the Trinamool Congress maintained its foothold over West Bengal and the Congress in Karnataka, according to trends available on Saturday for bypolls to 46 assembly seats in 13 states. The AAP and the Congress have won one seat each in Punjab where bypolls were held for four seats. It was a close contest in Rajasthan as the BJP, Congress and Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) candidates are leading on two seats each while an Independent was leading in Jhunjhunu. The BJP candidates in Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh were also ahead of their rivals. The ruling NDA alliance in Bihar established lead in all four constituents and in Assam it was leading in four of the five assembly constituencies. The ruling National People's Party (NPP) in Meghalya got a boost as party candidate and chief minister's wife Mehtab Chandee Agitok Sangma won the Gambegre bypoll by a margin of over 4,500 votes. Bypolls .
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The father of the Samajwadi Party's Sambhal MP is among 34 people "bound down" by the local administration over apprehensions of breach of peace following claims that a local Mughal-era mosque was originally the site of an ancient temple significant to the Hindu faith. Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) Vandana Mishra told PTI on Saturday that the 34 people had been bound down on a bond of up to Rs 10 lakh to maintain peace and order. The local administration can order someone to be bound down if they receive information that the person is likely to breach the peace, disturb public tranquillity, cause danger to public harmony or commit any wrongful act. Among the 34 people bound down is Mamlukur Rahman Barq, the father of the Samajwadi Party's Sambhal MP Zia ur Rahman Barq, the SDM said. Police had stepped up security, imposed prohibitory orders and conducted a flag march ahead of Friday prayers at the mosque. The mosque was surveyed on Tuesday on the orders of a local court following