Sambhal violence: SP's Mata Prasad Pandey to hand over "cheques to deceased's kin"

Police try to control the situation amid violence. Pic/PTI

UP Assembly LoP and Samajwadi Party leader Mata Prasad Pandey on Monday stated that as Akhilesh Yadav announced to provide the kin of each deceased in Sambhal Rs 5 lakh, the cheques will be handed over today, ANI reported.

"Our national president had announced to give Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased in Sambhal. We are going to Sambhal today to hand over those cheques," said Pandey.

Earlier, the SP chief Yadav at the end of November announced that his party would provide compensation worth Rs 5 lakhs to the family of the deceased in Sambhal violence.

Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav, took a dig at the ongoing excavation work in the state, suggesting that a Shivling might also be found at the residence of the state's Chief Minister, ANI reported.

"Since the excavation work is underway, I believe that there is a Shivling at the Chief Minister's residence too... we have faith that the Shivling is there," Yadav remarked, implying that such discoveries were allegedly being overly dramatized for political purposes. He further stated, "We should all prepare for its excavation... The media should go first, and we will join after that."

Meanwhile, Sambhal District Magistrate (DM) Dr Rajender Pensiya announced on Saturday the start of restoration and reconstruction work at Sambhal's Chaturmukh Well.

As per ANI, he stated that the Municipal Council has started the work of restoration and reconstruction of the well. Under this, we have visited here, so we will preserve all the wells ourselves and we will get a budget from the government for all the pilgrimage sites.

He further said that the funds for the restoration were being provided by the government as part of efforts to preserve historical and religious sites in the region.

In line with this initiative, he revealed that the district had also received funds under the "Vandan Yojana for the Yam Tirtha", also known as Yamghant Tirtha, ANI reported.

Work is currently underway to build a police post in the empty ground near Jama Masjid in UP's Sambhal amid the violence that erupted last month during an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) examination of a Mughal-era mosque, causing four fatalities and multiple injuries among police personnel and locals, ANI cited.

The construction for the new police outpost has begun in Sambhal with the Rapid Action Force (RAF) deployed to ensure security. This development comes following the recent violence in the area, resulting in casualties, and aims to strengthen security and prevent further unrest.

(With ANI inputs)