Killings Of Four During Sambhal Violence Is Now Wrapped In Mystery

By Dr. Gyan Pathak

Killings of four on November 24, 2024 during people’s violent protest in Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh and subsequent police firing is now wrapped in mystery. A selective leak of the Postmortem report has ruled out ‘police firing caused deaths’, though the report is not made public.

Then who killed the four persons? This is a question that answer of which will depend on the further impartial probe into the matter, not only for the interest of justice but also to fix accountability on police administration, bringing the real culprits to book, and the Uttar Pradesh government administration for the lapses that led to violent protests, including the hate speeches made by political leaders and others.

Then there are several new questions arising out of the latest announcement of the Uttar Pradesh government in which an official spokesperson said, “The UP government is adopting a firm stance against the individuals involved in the Sambhal violence. Posters of the stone pelters and miscreants will be displayed publicly, and recovery of damages will be sought. A reward may also be announced for information leading to their arrest.”

The language of the official spokesperson of the Uttar Pradesh government clearly shows that the government is dead against the protesters who turned violent and resorted to arson and damaging properties both public and private. However, the government is yet to come out with any specific measure of probe relating to death of the four persons. “Recovery of the damages would be sought” from the “stone pelters and miscreants” but who will pay for the loss of lives? Uttar Pradesh government need to come out with a convincing answer.

Then there is an extra-judicial penchant in the statement, that said “posters of the stone pelters and miscreants will be displayed publicly”. It may make certain non-judicial minds happy, because they are ignorant about how such publication of the identity of the culprits may detrimental to the cause of justice.

It must be recalled that the Uttar Pradesh government had earlier put up posters of individuals linked to vandalism during the anti-CAA protests in 2020 including in the state capital Lucknow. However, following criticism of the government for such an irresponsible thing against the interest of justice and a court order, the posters had to be removed. Now the announcement of putting up posters again at public places of protesters in respect to the Sambhal protest demonstration, clearly shows that the government of Uttar Pradesh and its officials has no respect for judicial process, and they still want to push for their extra-judicial ideas.

Violence had erupted in Sambhal on November 24 morning when protestors opposed the second round of a survey in the Shahi Jama Masjid led by the “court commissioner” to verify the claims of the Hindu side that the mosque was built over a temple during the Mughal emperor Babur’s rule in 1529. Four people were killed and a score of police personnel and officials sustained injuries in the clashes. An FIR against six identified and 200 unidentified persons was registered.

Initial reports in the media, and the family members of the four dead people have alleged that they were killed in police firing. However, the post-mortem report suggested that the wounds on their bodies were from bullets not consistent with ammunition used by UP Police, the Division Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh has said, however, adding, no bullets were recovered from the bodies during the postmortem.

Mystery over the deaths deepens on account of another reasons too, such as the postmortem report was leaked and not made public, if the bullets exited from the bodies why they could not be recovered from the place of occurrence, and one of the victims have suffered bullet wound in the abdomen which damaged his liver, while the other three were wounded on the chest. Officials have been quoted saying that the postmortem reports of the four killed also confirmed antemortem injuries noted by the police on three of the four men. The official was reported saying that injuries were seen on the knees and elbows of one of the victims; on the knees, hands and legs on another; and on the forehead, elbows and knees of another.

An official has been quoted reiterating the divisional commissioner’s claims that no firing was done by police. “Cops only fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the mob after it resorted to pelting stones”. Earlier, local authorities had claimed that the police only had anti-riots equipment such as tear gas and rubber bullets with them.

No wonder, the quality of administration especially in handling the protest demonstration and investigation so far is the suspect. It is not the question of favouring government or the protestors, but it is the question of justice that needs to be addressed in right earnest.

Uttar Pradesh government therefore has greater responsibility in probing the incident of killing of the four persons which is now wrapped in mystery. State must not try to take judiciaries role in its own hand as far as punishment is concerned. The government must follow the established norms of the Criminal Procedures, and must not take any extra judicial step. Officials must also be restrained by their own wisdom or by order of the government with respect to making public announcement on issues sensitive to public order. (IPA Service)