By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Sambhal, UP: Local residents clashed in the Western Uttar Pradesh city of Sambhal on Thursday afternoon as they were protesting the burning of a mosque last night, earlier reported by TwoCircles.net,
According to eye witness, after a mosque was gutted by fire last night in Hayat Nagar Colony of Sambhal, angry residents blocked the main roads of the town demanding probe into the causes of the fire, as they suspect hands of some miscreants. Markets in the city were shut from morning fearing backlash.
[Courtesy: Merasambhal.com]
As police tried to clear the roads, on the main road leading to Delhi through Hassanpur, angry protesters clashed with the police. According to eye witness, some police personnel have been injured in the clash and vehicles of police SDPO, who had reached the spot, was also damaged. Roads have now been cleared and there is heavy deployment of police.
Speaking to TwoCircles.net, District Magistrate Karn Singh Chauhan said, “Mosque might have caught fire from lamp or something and it would be wrong to attribute it to the work of some outsider at this point,” adding, “The matter is under investigation.”
Chauhan added that the situation in the city is “calm and under control”. When asked if the local administration has passed prohibitory orders to shut markets, he said that there “no curfew” in the city and shopkeepers kept markets closed on their own as precaution.
Asked about the purported clash, he said that it was a minor incident.
A mosque in Hayat Nagar Colony of Sambhal was burnt last night, enraging local residents who are demanding probe into the incident.
According to eye witness, as the mosque caught fire, local residents from around the area gathered on the spot and tried to fend off the fire but most of the articles inside the mosque have been destroyed. Fire brigade was soon called and local administration swung into action, and stopped the fire from spreading.
The exact causes of the fire have not been known yet and locals are suspecting hands of some miscreants. In protest, local residents are sitting on dharna and have blocked the highway and main roads, halting all movements. Markets in Sambhal are closed today fearing clashes. Protesters were demanding an impartial investigation into the matter.