Tensions flare in India as mosque survey ignites deadly clashes, leaving two dead and many injured. (PHOTO: AP/Bikas Das)
EPICSTORIAN – Violent clashes erupted in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday as Indian Muslim protesters confronted police during a controversial mosque survey.
The unrest, sparked by an investigation into whether the 17th-century Shahi Jama Masjid was built atop a demolished Hindu temple, left at least two people dead, according to AFP.
“Two persons were confirmed dead,” confirmed Pawan Kumar, a local police officer, adding, “Sixteen officers were seriously injured.” Some reports, including from the Press Trust of India, suggest the death toll may be as high as three.
The violence began when a survey team, acting on a court order, attempted to enter the mosque. The petition, filed by a Hindu priest, alleges that the mosque was constructed on the site of an ancient Hindu temple.
Tensions flared as protesters hurled stones at police, prompting tear gas deployment.
This incident underscores ongoing tensions between Hindu and Muslim communities, fueled by historical grievances over religious sites.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a grand temple in Ayodhya, built on the grounds of the Babri mosque, which was demolished in 1992. That event sparked nationwide sectarian violence, claiming around 2,000 lives, mostly Muslims.
Hindu nationalist groups, bolstered by Modi’s leadership, have increasingly pressed claims over other mosques they allege were constructed on former Hindu temple sites.
This growing movement, coupled with rising calls for India to align more closely with its Hindu majority, has left the nation’s 210-million-strong Muslim minority feeling vulnerable.
As tensions simmer, the tragic events in Sambhal may highlight the fragile balance of India’s secular democracy.
