The Supreme Court of India has ordered the release on bail of three men — Danish, Faizan, and Nazir — who were arrested in connection with the violent clashes that broke out in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, last year. The unrest had erupted during a survey conducted near the historic Shahi Jama Masjid, which some petitioners claim was built over a demolished temple. The apex court bench, consisting of Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice R. Mahadevan, granted bail to the trio, observing that they had been incarcerated since 2024. The local trial court has been directed to determine the specific terms and conditions for their release.
Before this ruling, both the district court and the Allahabad High Court had denied them bail. Following the Supreme Court’s directive, the process for their release will commence as soon as the state government receives the official order. The three men were among several individuals taken into custody after the November 2024 clashes, which began when a team arrived to conduct the second phase of a court-mandated survey of the 16th-century mosque. The survey stemmed from a petition filed by Supreme Court advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who claimed the mosque was constructed over the ancient Harihar Mandir site.
Violence broke out when hundreds of protesters assembled to oppose the continuation of the survey. The demonstration quickly turned violent, resulting in four fatalities and injuries to over twenty police officers amid widespread stone-pelting and gunfire. Authorities registered multiple cases against several accused individuals, including Samajwadi Party Member of Parliament Zia ur Rahman Barq, who was accused of inciting the mob. Barq, however, strongly denied the allegations, asserting that he was in Bengaluru when the incident occurred.
The episode triggered a major political confrontation between the ruling BJP-led state government and the Samajwadi Party. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s administration, alleging that the violence was “manufactured” and that the survey had been carried out “without proper notice.” State officials, on the other hand, maintained that due notification had been issued to the mosque management in accordance with court directives.
In a related development, the Allahabad High Court has provided interim relief to MP Zia ur Rahman Barq by staying the ongoing trial court proceedings against him until further orders. The High Court has also sought responses from the state government and other involved parties, scheduling the next hearing for December 8. This order offers a temporary reprieve to Barq as the judicial process continues to unfold amidst a politically charged atmosphere surrounding the Sambhal violence case.
