Sambhal: Authorities in Uttar Pradesh have invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against Mulla Afroz, the alleged mastermind behind last year’s communal violence in Sambhal. The order was issued by the district magistrate on October 13 and confirmed by Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar Bishnoi.
Afroz, already in judicial custody, was arrested on January 19 following the violence that broke out over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. The unrest erupted after claims surfaced that a Hindu temple once stood at the site. During a second round of the survey on November 24, clashes between locals and security personnel led to the deaths of four people and injuries to several others.
Police allege that Afroz played a central role in organizing the protest and instigating attacks on security forces. He has been described as the “mastermind” of the incident. The NSA, a preventive detention law, allows authorities to hold an individual for up to 12 months without trial to prevent actions deemed prejudicial to public order or national security.
Officials said intelligence inputs indicated Afroz might attempt to incite similar violence if released on bail. To prevent any recurrence of unrest, the NSA was invoked and formally served to him on October 14 at the Moradabad district jail.
The violence in Sambhal has become one of several flashpoints in Uttar Pradesh where communal tensions have surfaced around disputes involving religious sites.
