Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh – A video has gone viral showing Mohammed Haji Raees, a Muazzin, delivering the Jummah Azaan from the roof of the historic Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal. This act came after the police removed loudspeakers from the mosque as part of the Yogi Adityanath government’s directive limiting the use of loudspeakers in public places.
Sambhal’s Superintendent of Police (SP), Krishan Kumar Bishnoi, clarified that the police were enforcing government orders but emphasized that offering Azaan itself was not a criminal act. This move follows several actions by the police in recent months against loudspeaker usage in mosques.
In January, two Imams—Rehaan Hussain from a mosque in Bahjoi and Rizaul Haqat from Hayat Nagar—were booked for using loudspeakers. Similarly, in December 2024, a 23-year-old Imam, Tahzeeb, was fined Rs 2 lakh and arrested for using a loudspeaker at the Anal Wali Masjid in Kot Garvi. His arrest occurred amid rising communal tensions after a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid led to unrest in the city.
Sambhal’s sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Vandana Mishra, stated that these measures were taken to maintain public order while ensuring that religious practices could continue within the government’s regulations.
