Tensions escalated in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district on Sunday (November 24) morning when a team of surveyors arrived at the Shahi Jama Masjid in Chandausi to conduct a survey.

The situation turned volatile as visuals showed people pelting stones and throwing slippers at the survey team. The area has been under heavy police deployment for several days, with drones and officials closely monitoring the situation, The Indian Express reported.

The unrest stems from a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, following a petition filed by Rishi Raj Giri, the mahant of the Kalka Devi temple in Chandausi. In his plea submitted on Tuesday, Giri alleged that a temple previously existed on the mosque site and claimed it was demolished by Muslim rulers in 1526 to construct the mosque.

After a three-hour hearing, Civil Judge (Senior Division) Aditya Singh instructed Advocate Commissioner Ramesh Chand Raghav to conduct a preliminary survey to ascertain the veracity of the claim and submit a report by November 29.
By 6:15 PM on Tuesday, the survey team, which included representatives of the mosque’s managing committee, the petitioner, and local officials, arrived at the site.
 
News of the survey quickly spread, prompting hundreds of people from the Muslim community to gather at the mosque.

Anticipating a potential law-and-order issue, authorities declared the area a high-security zone, deploying a substantial police force. Despite these measures, Sunday’s survey attempt was met with violent resistance, further heightening tensions in the district.