Sambhal Violence Spontaneous Or Planned? Top Questions Before Probe Panel

Four persons were killed and many more injured in clashes in Sambhal during a court-ordered survey of Shahi Jama Masjid

As Sambhal simmers in the aftermath of violence linked to the survey of a Mughal-era mosque, a three-member judicial panel will be visiting the violence-hit areas as part of their investigation into the incident.

The three-member panel set up by the Yogi Adityanath government to probe the November 24 violence is headed by retired Allahabad High Court judge, Justice Devendra Kumar Arora. Retired IAS officer Amit Mohan Prasad and retired IPS officer Arvind Kumar Jain are the other members of the panel. The panel will submit its report within two months.

The commission, it is learnt, will look at four key points as part of its investigation: was the violence spontaneous or the result of a criminal conspiracy? what were the arrangements made by the police administration? what were the circumstances leading to the violence and what preparations must be made to prevent a repeat of such incidents?