Sambhal violence: Postmortem shows bullet wounds not from police ammunition

Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said on Nov 26 that the postmortem reports of the four individuals killed during the violence in Sambhal on Nov 24 revealed that the wounds on their bodies were caused by bullets inconsistent with those used by the UP Police.

However, he added that no gunshots were found during the postmortem examination. This statement came in response to claims that the four had been killed by police gunfire.

The identities of the deceased—Ayan, Bilal, Naeem, and Kaif—have not been officially released.

Meanwhile, authorities extended the internet shutdown in the area for an additional 24 hours, lasting until 4 am on Nov 27, as an uneasy calm settled under a heavy security presence.

A local police official also confirmed that no bullets were found during the autopsies, as none had entered the bodies of the four men.

According to reports, three of the victims had ante-mortem injuries.

Specifically, Bilal had injuries on his knees and elbows, Kaif on his knees, wrists, and legs, and Naeem on his forehead, elbows, and knees.

To determine the type of bullets used, the reports and photographs of the wounds will now be sent for forensic analysis.

The divisional commissioner reiterated that the police did not use live ammunition. "The officers only used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd after it began throwing stones," he explained.

Local authorities in Sambhal had previously said that the police were equipped solely with anti-riot tools such as tear gas and rubber bullets.

A senior police official also confirmed that the postmortem reports ruled out the use of 9 mm bullets, which are typically used by UP Police, as the cause of death for the four victims.

"The report confirms that the wounds on the deceased were caused by bullets other than 9 mm," he added.

One of the seven FIRs filed against the rioters claims that during the Nov 24 skirmishes at Sambhal's Naksha Crossing, rioters stole the service 9 mm pistol of Sub-Inspector (SI) Mohd Shah Faisal, along with a magazine containing ten rounds.

The mob also set fire to a police patrol bike and Faisal's motorcycle.

In his FIR, Faisal, the in-charge of the Deep Sarai police outpost under the Naksha police station, said that the mob was armed with hockey sticks and canes when he and his team were patrolling the area.

He alleged that in addition to damaging CCTV cameras, the crowd set fire to his bike and patrol car before surrounding him and his team and throwing stones, injuring him and two constables, Gopal Singh and Nishant Malik.

"The violent mob tried to snatch my service pistol while I was trying to pacify them. I managed to keep the pistol, but the magazine and its ten cartridges were stolen. It appears the mob came well-prepared," the SI said in the FIR.

Authorities have prohibited outsiders, social groups, or public officials from visiting Sambhal without prior authorization until Nov 30.

Tensions in Sambhal have been rising since a local court ordered a survey of the Jama Masjid on Nov 19, following a petition claiming that a Harihar temple stood on the site.

The survey, originally scheduled for Nov 19, was planned for the morning of Nov 24 to avoid disruption of afternoon prayers.

Gopal Sharma, a local lawyer representing the Hindu side, said that the original temple at the site was destroyed by Mughal Emperor Babur in 1529.

Samajwadi Party MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq and Sohail Iqbal, the son of local SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood, were arrested by Sambhal police on Nov 25 in connection with the violence.