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A Sambhal court has ordered the registration of a criminal case against a senior police officer and 12 others over the alleged shooting of a civilian during communal violence in the town in November 2024,

Chief Judicial Magistrate Vibhanshu Sudhir directed police to file a first information report (FIR) against Additional Superintendent of Police Anuj Chaudhary, Inspector Anuj Tomar and other unidentified police personnel. The order followed a petition filed by Yameen, whose son was injured in the incident.

According to the petition, Yameen’s son Alam was shot near the Shahi Jama Masjid area on November 24, 2024, while he was out selling goods. The court passed the order after a hearing earlier this month.

The petition seeking FIR was supported by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights APCR. “After a year of hard work, the court has today ordered an FIR against former Sambhal CO Anuj Chaudhry, plus 12 policemen,” APCR coordinator and human rights activists Nadeem Khan said.

The complainant’s lawyer, Chaudhary Akhtar Hussain, said Alam received medical treatment while remaining in hiding due to fear of police action. He added that the family has been verbally informed of the court’s decision but is yet to receive a written copy of the order.

At the time of the violence, Anuj Chaudhary was serving as the circle officer of Sambhal. He has since been promoted and posted as Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) in Firozabad. Inspector Tomar is currently posted as station house officer of Kotwali Chandausi in Sambhal.

The violence broke out during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid following a petition claiming the site was originally a Hindu temple. Clashes between protesters and police escalated into stone-pelting and gunfire, leaving five people dead and several others injured, including police personnel.

Police registered multiple cases in connection with the violence, naming over 2,000 people as accused. More than 130 arrests have been made so far.