Sambhal mosque survey: Opposition blames BJP, police arrests 25 including son of Samajwadi Party MLA
Live MintPolice have registered a case against Samajwadi Party MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq, Sohail Iqbal, and arrested 25 individuals following violent clashes between locals, who were protesting a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque, and security forces. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav accused the state government of staging a "riot," while senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed that the ruling party was fueling divisions between Hindus and Muslims. The BJP responded by labeling the violence as "pre-planned," asserting that it was instigated by those threatened by the party's growing influence, particularly following its strong performance in the recent Uttar Pradesh Assembly bypolls. On the current situation in Sambhal, SP Krishan Kumar told ANI, “After the Sunday incident that took place in Sambhal district, the police had called for a precautionary internet shutdown, which continues even now.