Sambhal mosque row: FIR filed after Dalit Muslim family alleges namaz denial
A case of alleged discrimination has surfaced in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district, where members of the Scheduled Caste (Dhunna) community have accused people from the
A case of alleged discrimination has surfaced in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district, where members of the Scheduled Caste (Dhunna) community have accused people from the Turk community of preventing them from offering prayers at a mosque. The complainant, Mohammad Wasim, approached Sambhal Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishan Kumar Bishnoi and submitted a complaint, alleging that members of the Turk community stopped him and others from the Dhunna community from offering namaz at a 120-year-old mosque in Mandli Samaspur village under the Aichoda Kamboh police station area. He also alleged that they were prevented from giving donations and that their fundamental rights were being violated.
Read Full Story While narrating his complaint before the SP, Wasim became emotional and broke down. The SP assured him, saying, "Don't cry, we will fix everything and an FIR will also be registered." Following the SP's instructions, the police took cognisance of the complaint and registered an FIR against five people from the Turk community. The case comes a week after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during a public meeting in Sambhal on July 18, issued a strong message against the Turk community, saying that Turk dominance will not work in Sambhal and that the order of Harihar temple would prevail.
According to the complaint, mosque officials Atiq Ahmed, his son Shaan-e-Alam, Aamir Bholu and Hafiz allegedly introduced a new practice at the mosque, with prayers being offered six times a day instead of the earlier five. Wasim alleged that when he opposed the change, members of the Dhunna community were allegedly boycotted from offering prayers at the mosque. Wasim further alleged that when he approached the mosque authorities, they told him that he would have to follow the 120-year-old tradition to be allowed to offer namaz there. The complainant claimed that both sides had reached an agreement on January 26, 2024, over several conditions, but alleged that the other side did not follow them.
He further alleged that members of the Turk community continued to harass his family from July 3, 2026. On Friday, after members of the Turk community allegedly stopped a Dhunna community family from offering Friday prayers at the mosque, Wasim approached the police and administrative officials, alleging a violation of his fundamental rights. After hearing the complaint, SP Krishan Kumar Bishnoi directed the police to investigate the matter and register a case. Police subsequently filed an FIR against five people based on the complaint. Ends
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