A three-member judicial commission headed by retired Allahabad High Court judge Devendra Kumar Arora submitted its report on the November 2024 violence in Sambhal to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday. According to the findings, Sambhal's Hindu population has drastically dropped from 45 per cent at the time of Independence to just 20 per cent in the present day. As per the report, decades of communal clashes and political appeasement have significantly altered the district’s demographic landscape.
Key findings of the Sambhal inquiry report
- The Hindu population in Sambhal stands at only 20 per cent today
- Since Independence, Sambhal has witnessed 15 communal riots
- The district has turned into a hub for several terrorist organisations
- The US declared Maulana Sanaul Haq as a global terrorist
- Illegal arms and narcotics gangs are active in Sambhal
Conspiracy to target Hindus
The report reveals a chilling detail that there was a premeditated plan to kill Hindus during the riots. Rioters were allegedly brought in from outside to fuel the violence. However, the presence of police in Hindu-dominated neighbourhoods prevented large-scale killings. Notably, a violent clash broke out between Turk Pathans and converted Hindu Pathans due to internal rivalry which resulted in four deaths during the firing.
Violence was pre-planned, says report
The probe makes a major disclosure that the November 22, 2024, speech by local MP Zia-ur-Rahman Barq laid the foundation for violence. Addressing a gathering of worshippers, he allegedly said, "We are the owners of this country, not servants or slaves. A mosque was here, a mosque is here, and it will remain until the end of time. We will not allow another Ayodhya here." Just two days later, clashes erupted between 24 groups belonging to the Turk and Pathan communities.
The report also claims that the conspiracy was not spontaneous but well-orchestrated. MP Zia-ur-Rahman Barq, MLA's son Suhail Iqbal, and key members of the Intizamia Committee were identified as central figures in planning the violence.
Sambhal violence 2024
The Sambhal violence of November 24, 2024, was one of the most disturbing communal flare-ups in Uttar Pradesh in recent years. What began as tension following a provocative speech by local MP Zia-ur-Rahman Barq quickly escalated into full-scale clashes between Turk and Pathan communities. The violence resulted in four deaths and left the town deeply polarised, with illegal arms and organised gangs playing a key role in the unrest.
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