The Uttar Pradesh Police have issued a lookout circular against Dubai-based gangster Shariq Satha, alleging that he was the main conspirator behind the violence that broke out in Sambhal district in November, The Indian Express reported.
The police accuse him of supplying weapons from abroad.
The circular is used by law enforcement authorities to check whether a person leaving the country is wanted by the police.
On November 24, violence broke out in Sambhal after a group of Muslims objected to a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Chandausi town.
A trial court had ordered the survey in a suit claiming that the mosque had been built in 1526 by Mughal ruler Babar on the site of the “centuries-old Shri Hari Har Temple dedicated to Lord Kalki”.
Five persons were killed in the violence during the survey.
Sambhal Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar told The Indian Express that the probe revealed that Satha, who hails from Deepa Sarai in Sambhal, played a central role in coordinating the violence.
“He has been booked on charges of criminal conspiracy in five cases [related to the violence], including four related to murder,” the newspaper quoted Kumar as saying.
Satha is accused of operating his network remotely from Dubai, where he reportedly fled in 2020 allegedly using a forged passport.
Twelve FIRs were filed after the violence in Sambhal and a Special Investigation Team was formed to investigate the matter. Chargesheets have been filed in all cases and proceedings have begun in 10.
During the probe, the Special Investigation Team discovered that one of the six recovered empty cartridges used during the violence was manufactured in Pakistan, raising suspicion of international links that ultimately led to uncovering Satha’s alleged involvement, the newspaper reported.
Authorities have arrested more than 100 persons in connection with the incident, including three of Satha’s alleged associates in India, The Indian Express reported.
Also read:
Harsh Mander: Temples, mosques, courts and the judgements of history
‘Ayodhya happened, now Sambhal’s turn’: How a court order sparked a deadly dispute over a mosque
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