Yesterday I visited Sambhal, where heavy stone-pelting erupted on Sunday during a court-ordered survey of a disputed…

Yesterday I visited Sambhal, where heavy stone-pelting erupted on Sunday during a court-ordered survey of a disputed mosque structure To my surprise, every Hindu local - minorities in Sambhal - referred to the property as ‘Shri Hari Har Temple’ Here is what I found. A thread 🧵

First, a bit about the area The mosque, known as Shahi Jama Masjid Sambhal, is located in Kot area of Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh. Hindus and Muslims refer to their respective colonies as Kot Purvi (East) and Kot Gharbhi (Gharab is West in Arabic). The street outside the mosque’s front gate (seen in video) is largely Hindu-populated and leads to a police chowki. Locals jokingly call this street - Post office road - as India-Pakistan border 2011 census put Hindu population in Sambhal at 22%. In Kot, Hindus said they are no more than 10%

Anil Tandon, aged 66 and a lifelong resident of Kot Purvi, said his family always referred to the property as Hari Har Temple Jama Masjid was a recent construction and it used to be Hari Har temple temple before, his family would say When Anil was 8, he visited the site with relatives, who wished to see the temple inside the mosque as it was always quite a subject of discussion Back then, Hindus could still enter the premises as mosque side had not yet created gigantic walls like today. Inside, he recalls a room that was locked (more on this later in the thread). And a water ‘kund’

Arvind Arora, 75, whose father migrated from Lahore in 1947, said his family learnt to call the site as ‘Hari Har Mandir’ when they arrived here I disocbvered that the area is home to many Punjabi families displaced by partition. Arvind Ji said they are fast leaving the area as “atmosphere has worsened over years due to demography” In the second video, he tells how displaced families ended up in Sambhal in 1947

Muni Devi, 90, recalls using a well just outside the mosque’s front gate for rituals like Kuan Pujan (ceremony for newborns). Kuan Pujan for all her children was conducted at the well Later, the mosque managers covered the well and built a wall over it, taking half of it inside the premises Listen to Muni Devi. Also attaching a picture of what locals say is that well, where cops are now sitting guard

Another resident (57) remembers seeing an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) plaque outside the premises as a child He says the mosque managers have removed it. He believes namaz was allowed as a permission by ASI, not as a permanent right Many elderly locals echoed the same sentiment

Kamal Gambhir, aged 50, whose family came from Multan, acknowledges the site as Hari Har Temple as everyone else but opposes reclaiming it “It causes violence, curfews, internet suspensions, and affects business,” he said As per my observations, while elderly and younger Hindus in the area largely support reclaiming the temple, others worry about the unrest it brings

Now, let’s see what is the main plea filed by @Vishnu_Jain1 and others regarding the disputed property That the structure is an ASI property encroached upon by the mosque committee Read these portions from their petition: -ASI has not done anything to maintain the property and members of the Muslim community have taken advantage and captured the entire property -Some people have formed a Committe known as Intezamia Shahi Jama Masjid Committee and are not NOT allowing any person in public to access the property. Vishnu Jain himself was not allowed to freely enter in August -Mosque side is preventing even ASI to control it - Mosque side has locked a portion of the property without any right to do so

The petition also states historical facts about the property. The portion I am attaching refer to an ASI survey in 1875-1876 detailing how the mosque was built over an existing temple

Finally, attaching some visuals of back side of the mosque that is Muslim-populated and where violence happened on Sunday The lane was deserted yesterday except for security personnel as police are identifying stone-pelters through footage. Many houses were locked and anyone out walking was simply unwilling to speak 4th video is of violence in this area on Sunday