Only 15% Hindu population remain in Sambhal after communal riots
What's the story
A judicial committee has found a significant decline in the Hindu population of Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, due to communal riots. The report, submitted to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, noted that Hindus now comprise only 15% of the population in Sambhal. This is a sharp decline from 45% in 1947, sources told News18. The Yogi government launched the investigation after violent riots erupted in Sambhal following a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Jama Masjid last November.
Historical tensions
History of communal violence in Sambhal
The 450-page report claims that Hindus have been "primary victims" of every communal riot since Independence. In the latest violence, rioters were brought in from outside, the report adds. During the riots, Turks and Pathans reportedly attacked one another, motivated by longstanding animosity. There was also purportedly a plan to target Hindus, but the presence of police in Hindu-majority districts averted widespread casualties.
Demographic change
Rise in Muslim population amid communal riots
According to ANI, the report stated that 55% of the population was Muslim and 45% Hindu in the Sambhal Nagar Palika area during Independence. However, the Hindu population has dropped to 15%, while the Muslim community has grown to 85% in the present. In recent years, the region has also become a hub for terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, sources told News18.
Legal proceedings
Chargesheet filed in 6 cases related to violence
Since independence, Sambhal has seen 15 riots. The report further stated that the weapons found at the scene of the violence and other locations were made in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany. The Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) filed a chargesheet of over 4,000 pages in six cases related to the violence.