Weeks after violence erupted over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district, the administration has launched a drive to sort out encroachments and electrical energy theft in areas surrounding the mosque. District Justice of the Peace Rajender Pensiya mentioned the marketing campaign, launched on Friday, goals to clear encroachments and deal with unlawful energy connections within the area. “We’re marking the realm as it’s within the paperwork and making certain it’s cleaned up. There’s a nicely close by, which we’re within the means of reviving,” Pensiya mentioned.
The drive follows clashes on November 24 when protesters gathered close to the mosque throughout the survey, resulting in stone-pelting and arson. 4 individuals had been killed, and a number of other others had been injured within the violence. Whereas police denied allegations of firing on the protesters, the incident highlighted the necessity for higher regulation within the space. Encroachments alongside drains close to the mosque have been a long-standing situation. The district administration has launched a devoted marketing campaign in Chandausi metropolis, which will probably be expanded to different areas of Sambhal over the subsequent two to a few months.
In a parallel effort, district authorities uncovered vital electrical energy theft throughout a shock inspection of native mosques, madrasas, and residential areas. “We discovered unlawful connections in round 250 to 300 homes, mosques, and madrasas,” Pensiya mentioned. One case revealed that 150 to 200 homes had been drawing energy from a single distribution unit illegally. “A whole roof had been transformed into an unlawful energy distribution unit,” he added, confirming that FIRs can be filed towards these accountable.
Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Bishnoi confirmed that unlawful energy connections had been additionally found atop mosque minarets, supplying complete neighborhoods. “We’re figuring out people cashing in on these illegal connections, and motion will probably be taken beneath the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Actions (Prevention) Act,” he mentioned.
As a part of the crackdown, a mosque imam was fined Rs 2 lakh for allegedly utilizing a loudspeaker at excessive quantity. Authorities are additionally checking using loudspeakers at temples, mosques, and different non secular websites. The administration has introduced plans to make Sambhal “100 per cent electrical energy theft-free” as a part of a broader technique to enhance native infrastructure and curb unlawful actions. The drive will proceed for a number of days, with circumstances already registered by the electrical energy division.
