Protesters and security personnel clash in Sambhal in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. — ANI
Indian Muslim protesters clashed with police on Sunday, resulting in at least two fatalities during riots ignited by a survey investigating whether a 17th-century mosque was constructed on the site of a Hindu temple. "Two persons were confirmed dead," stated Pawan Kumar, a police officer in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, who also noted that 16 police officers sustained serious injuries during the confrontations. The Press Trust of India news agency reported that officials confirmed three deaths.
Hindu activist groups have asserted claims over several mosques, arguing they were built on the ruins of Hindu temples during the Muslim Mughal empire centuries ago. The street battles erupted when a team of surveyors entered the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, following a local court's order, in response to a petition by a Hindu priest alleging it was built on the site of a Hindu temple. Protesters on Sunday hurled rocks at police, who responded by firing tear gas to disperse the crowd.
This incident comes after Hindu nationalist activists gained confidence earlier this year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a grand new Hindu temple in the northern city of Ayodhya, built on the grounds that once housed the centuries-old Babri mosque. The Babri mosque was demolished in 1992 by activists from Modi's party, leading to sectarian riots that claimed 2,000 lives nationwide, predominantly Muslims.
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