The Sambhal district administration has extended the ban on outsiders entering the area until December 10 in order to maintain peace and order following recent violence. This decision came on the day a Samajwadi Party delegation was scheduled to visit the district to investigate the unrest, which erupted over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. The entry ban was initially set to expire on Saturday but has been prolonged, along with additional curbs under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, now extended until December 31.
Tensions in Sambhal began on November 19, when a survey of the Mughal-era mosque was conducted after claims that it stood on the site of a former Harihar temple. The situation escalated on November 24, when protests turned violent, leading to clashes with security forces, stone-pelting, and arson. Four people were killed, and several others were injured in the violence. Following the incidents, the Supreme Court intervened, ordering the suspension of the survey and proceedings in the case.
The extension of the entry ban has resulted in multiple Samajwadi Party leaders being stopped from visiting the area, including MPs Harendra Malik, Zia-ur-Rehman Barq, and Iqra Hasan. The authorities have also imposed restrictions on social media activity, requiring cyber cafes to maintain a register and demanding the deletion of posts that could incite unrest. While opposition leaders have criticized the government’s actions as autocratic, the administration continues to enforce strict measures to prevent further violence.
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