Barricades erected, UP Congress leaders barred from Sambhal visit

Uttar Pradesh Police has erected barricades outside the Congress party office in Lucknow, and stopped key party leaders, including state party chief Ajay Rai, from visiting trouble-torn Sambhal.

The visit was scheduled for 2 December, but now faces fresh hurdles as the government has extended its ban on the entry of public representatives into Sambhal until 10 December.

The visit aims to investigate the 24 November violence in Sambhal, which erupted during a court-mandated survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, claiming six lives and injuring several. The survey was initiated following a petition alleging that a Harihar temple once stood at the sire of the mosque, stoking communal tension in the region.

"Since last night, raids are being conducted on the houses of our party leaders, they are being put under house arrest. Right now, the police have barricaded the area around our office and our workers are being prevented from coming in. We want justice for the people of Sambhal at all costs and we will reach Sambhal at all costs," UP Congress general-secretary (organisation) Anil Yadav said.

Congress spokesperson Vikas Srivastava claimed the barricades were installed late on Sunday night, signalling the government's intent to prevent the delegation from proceeding.

"This is an attempt to suppress our voice and prevent us from exposing the truth," Srivastava said. UP Congress leader Aradhana Mishra was put under house arrest. She could be seen arguing with the police in the video shared by UP Congress.

Ajay Rai, who spent Sunday night at the Congress office with party workers, criticised the government for the abrupt extension of the ban. "We had planned to visit Sambhal after 30 November, when the earlier restriction was to be lifted. Extending the ban without justification clearly shows the government's intent to hide its failures," Rai said.

Rai vowed to protest peacefully if stopped, citing the party's commitment to Gandhian principles.

Congress leaders maintain that their visit aims to understand the root causes of the violence and support affected communities, despite the state administration's resistance.

Earlier, leaders from the Samajwadi Party (SP), including Sambhal MLA Iqbal Mehmood, were also barred from entering the violence-hit region, with similar accusations levelled against the administration for attempting to stifle opposition voices. Opposition parties have accused the state's Yogi Adityanath government of mishandling the situation and using restrictions to suppress dissent.