Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel has announced the formation of a three-member judicial inquiry commission to investigate the November 24 violence in Sambhal.

The commission has been directed to complete its inquiry within two months from the date of the notification. Any extension of this timeline will require approval from the government.

Four people died and scores, including police personnel, were injured in Sambhal after a confrontation erupted over a court-ordered survey of the city’s Shahi Jama Masjid in the Kot Garvi area, following a petition claiming that a Harihar temple once stood at the site.

In a notification issued on November 28, the Governor emphasised the necessity of conducting a “thorough inquiry to serve the public interest and ensure transparency”.

The inquiry commission will be headed by Justice Devendra Kumar Arora, a retired judge of the Allahabad High Court. The other members include Amit Mohan Prasad, a retired IAS officer, and Arvind Kumar Jain, a retired IPS officer, the notification said.

The commission will examine whether the incident was a spontaneous event or part of a planned criminal conspiracy. It will also investigate the preparedness of local law enforcement and administration in maintaining order during the event.

It will focus on four key areas including determining whether the incident was the result of a well-planned criminal conspiracy.

It will probe the law and order arrangements made by the district administration and police, analyse the circumstances and reasons behind the incident and make recommendations for measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The findings of the commission are expected to be crucial in maintaining public order and preventing such incidents in the future, the notification reads.

Tension had been brewing in Sambhal since November 19 when the court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid was carried out following claims that a Harihar temple previously stood at the site. Violence erupted on November 24 as protesters gathered near the mosque and clashed with security personnel, leading to stone pelting and arson.

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