Sambhal court orders FIR against former CO Anuj Chaudhary, others in 2024 violence case

A court in Chandausi under Sambhal district ordered the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against former Sambhal Circle Officer Anuj Chaudhary, former Sambhal Kotwali in-charge Anuj Tomar and 10 unidentified police personnel in connection with the Sambhal violence of 2024. The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Vibhanshu Sudhir passed the order on January 9 on a plea filed by Yameen, whose son was injured during the unrest. 

Yameen alleged that his 24-year-old son, Alam, was shot at by police on November 24, 2024, near the Shahi Jama Masjid area while he was out selling papad. The complainant accused then CO Chaudhary and then Kotwali Station House Officer (SHO) Tomar as respondents, besides 10 to 12 unidentified police personnel. The case was filed on February 6, 2025, and after hearings, the court on January 9, directed the registration of an FIR against all the accused police personnel. 

Sambhal, a west U.P. town witnessed violence on November 24, 2024, the second day of the Shahi Jama Mosque survey as protesters gathered near the mosque and clashed with U.P. police personnel, leading to heavy pelting of stone and alleged gun shots being fired by cops, which the U.P. police denied. U.P. police claimed using ‘mild force’ to control the situation. Five people died and several others were injured in the clashes. The Supreme Court has since ordered the Sambhal trial court to halt proceedings in the survey case.