Sambhal's Shahi Jama Masjid renovation now complete

The whitewashing and lighting work at Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal has been completed as of March 21, 2025. This work followed a directive from the Allahabad High Court and began earlier this week. Masood Farooqui, the mosque committee's secretary, reported that the whitewashing is finished and that the lighting work is nearly done. He expressed confidence that everything would meet the court's one-week deadline. The renovation was supervised by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and started on March 16. The mosque management had requested permission for the work due to a legal dispute about the site's history, with claims that the mosque was built over an ancient Hindu temple. Tensions have been high in Sambhal, especially after riots erupted on November 24 last year during protests tied to a court-ordered ASI survey. The violence resulted in four deaths and many injuries, including among police officers. On March 12, the high court instructed the ASI to finish the whitewashing of the mosque's outer walls within one week and to address concerns from the mosque management about the ASI's survey report. Following this, ASI teams began their measurements and assessments on March 13, leading to the current restoration efforts.