A mother cheerfully bid farewell to her son Kaif on November 24 as he headed out, unaware that it would be their last goodbye. Later that same day, at 4 pm, she received a call stating that Kaif was at the hospital. Upon reaching the hospital, she discovered her son’s lifeless body and was told to immediately arrange for the funeral and burial.
Kaif was reportedly shot dead in the gun firing allegedly by the Police during a wave of Sambhal violence that broke out in the city the same day.The unrest began over the second survey order conducted by the authorities, reports of stone pelting, tear gas, and gun firing emerged.
Left with nothing, Kaif’s mother sits on a cot, prayer beads in hand, repeatedly calling for justice.
“I just want justice, nothing but justice, only justice,” she said while talking to FoEJ Media.
“He wouldn’t eat anything without me, he took care of everything, shouldered all the expenses,” she added.
“…when I turned around, they shot me”
Within a 5 km radius, another mother grieves the loss of a son— Ayan.
17 year old Ayan was at the hotel where he was employed as a waiter when the violence broke out. He was reportedly shot in an episode of gun firing during the clashes.
Ayan’s mother told FoEJ Media that locals brought him to their house after he was injured by a bullet, and he later succumbed to his injuries.
Her mother said that Ayan claimed he fell down and was then shot.
“He told me, ‘I fell in the crowd, and when I turned around, they shot me,’” she said.
FoEJ Media further talked to Ayan’s sister who said that, “I didn’t consider him a brother, I treated him like our own child.” His sister futher claimed that Ayan had a clam personality and got never engaged in arguments.
“We have a little patience in our hearts, that’s why we are able to speak…”
Meanwhile, another family is still struggling to come to terms with a member’s death— Romaan.
Romaan’s sons talked to FoEJ Media and said that at 12:00 Pm they received a call from locals informing them about Romaan’s death.
His sons are dumbstruck, unsure of what to say or do in the wake of their father’s death.
“We have a little patience in our hearts, that’s why we are able to speak; otherwise, we were in no condition to talk,” Romaan’s son Uzair said.
Romaan’s family did not file any complaints or conduct a post-mortem, but they allege that he was shot dead.
Violence erupted in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, on November 24, 2024, following a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, which has sparked controversy over claims that it was built on the site of a Hindu temple. The survey led to widespread protests and increased tensions in the region.
The clashes resulted in at least five deaths, with local residents accusing the police of firing the fatal shots. In response, authorities imposed prohibitory orders, restricted outsider access, and suspended internet services to curb further violence.
On November 29, the Supreme Court intervened, halting the survey and related actions until the Allahabad High Court could review the case. A judicial inquiry has been initiated to investigate the violence, with both local authorities and the public awaiting the outcome.
Opposition parties have sharply criticized the BJP following the violence in Sambhal. The Congress party accused the police of firing directly at protesters, describing it as the “horrifying outcome of a well-planned conspiracy” orchestrated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the BJP-RSS. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav also targeted the BJP, alleging that the government and administration staged the violence to “divert attention from electoral malpractice.”
In response, the BJP accused the INDIA alliance of attempting to provoke unrest following their defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. The party argued that those unhappy with judicial decisions should seek legal recourse, while a BJP spokesperson blamed the “ghamandia alliance”—a term often used by the party to describe the INDIA bloc—for inciting the violence.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tried to visit Sambhal on December 4 to meet with the families affected by the violence. However, they were stopped at the Ghazipur border due to prohibitory orders in effect until December 10, which restricted outsiders from entering the district. Their convoy was met with chaos as supporters clashed with police, resulting in heavy traffic congestion on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway.
