While a few shops on the mosque’s periphery remain closed, other shop owners say business has suffered. 
| Photo Credit: Aniket Singh Chauhan

In western U.P.’s Sambhal, amid chargesheets, FIRs, arrests, and deaths, residents of Kot Garvi – where violence broke out near Shahi Jama Masjid on November 24 last year — have got used to being under the watchful gaze of the police. A few, however, still hope that the local markets buzz ahead of the Islamic holy month of Ramzan.

The violence had erupted on the second day of a local court-ordered survey of the mosque. Protesters opposed to the survey gathered around the mosque and clashed with police personnel, leading to heavy stone pelting, arson, and the deaths of five persons and injuries to several others. While families of those of who died claimed they were hit by police bullets, U.P. Police denied all such accusations.

As the market of the Kot Garvi area housing more than 100 small shops that sell clothes, crockery, jewellery, decorations, and kitchenware stirs to life in the morning, people are hesitant to speak at first and relent only on the condition of anonymity. At least 50 police personnel are deployed in the area, 20 of them in front of the mosque. The Sambhal police have completed 60% of the work on building an outpost here.

Losses aplenty

Hafiz*, a 55-year-old contractor, said, “Nobody from our colony was involved in the violence, but police remain camped here since three months. At some point, it feels like we are under constant surveillance… it’s not good, especially for the children.” The police, however, say the increased security is on account of the midday prayers, it being a Friday, and Maha Sivaratri some days ahead (February 26).

While a few shops on the mosque’s periphery remain closed, other shop owners say business has suffered and pinning their hopes on a Ramzan uptick.

Faraaz*, a 55-year-old whose clothes shop is right in front of the Shahi Jama Masjid, said his stock of winter clothes remains unsold even as winter is nearly over. “Due to the violence, the market did not open for some time. The timber shops [nearby] are still closed. I don’t know how to recoup my losses,” he said.

A little away from the market, some of the houses also remain locked. Moeen*, 43, an area resident who works as a car mechanic, isn’t sure why. He himself stays in a one-room house on rent and the garage where he works is located in an area populated by Hindus. “Despite the violence, I never felt unsafe,” he said.

Moeen rues the lack of opportunities in the town. Sambhal has been known for its menthol oil, potato farming, handicrafts, and brick factories. “None of these have received a push. People moved out for better opportunities. The area has not seen development, but we’re still fighting over religion,” he said.

Case status

Last week, the U.P. Police’s Special Investigation Team probing into the violence submitted a 4,400-page chargesheet. The police have accused Shariq Satha, a Sambhal-based fugitive reportedly now operating from the UAE, to be the mastermind behind the violence. While FIRs were registered against Lok Sabha MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq and MLA Iqbal Mehmood’s son Sohail Iqbal, their names do not find a mention in the chargesheet.

Sambhal District Magistrate Rajendra Pensia said 80 people have been arrested so far. “Those spotted on CCTV cameras and drone recordings are being identified and posters with their photos have been pasted on walls in the area. Action will also be taken against those who destroyed public property,” he said.

Sambhal SP Krishna Kumar Bishnoi said 12 cases have been registered so far and the chargesheet filed pertains to half of those cases.

(* names changed on request)