Red Corner Notice soon against 'conspirator' behind Sambhal riots: UP Police

Red Corner Notice soon against 'conspirator' behind Sambhal riots: UP Police

A Red Corner Notice will soon be issued against Shariq Sata, the alleged conspirator behind the communal violence in Sambhal last year, Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar Bishnoi said on Sunday.

Tension erupted in Sambhal on November 24 last year, when protesting locals clashed with security forces during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid following claims that a Harihar temple previously stood at the site. Four people were killed and dozens were injured in the unrest.

During the investigation, Shariq Sata emerged as the prime conspirator in the case, the SP said, adding that Sata fled the country several years ago and has been absconding since.

Despite multiple police raids, he could not be traced, following which a notice under Section 84 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was pasted at his residence.

A lookout circular had already been issued against Sata, Bishnoi said.

After coordinating with various agencies, including the CBI and Interpol, efforts are being made to issue a Red Corner Notice to ensure Sata’s arrest at the earliest, the SP said.

A Red Corner Notice is an international request from Interpol to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest an individual who is wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence.

According to police, Sata was involved in several organised criminal activities, including vehicle thefts, across NCR and Uttar Pradesh, while operating from abroad.

More than 60 criminal cases have been registered against Sata, who has been active in the underworld for nearly three decades, police said.

Authorities have already seized property worth over Rs 2 crore belonging to Sata under Section 15 of the Gangsters Act, and his other wrongfully acquired assets are under investigation, the SP said.

"Police, in coordination with multiple agencies, are making every effort to arrest the accused as soon as possible," Bishnoi said.

The Sambhal dispute dates back to November 19, last year, when Hindu petitioners, including advocates Hari Shankar Jain and Vishnu Shankar Jain, filed a suit in the district court claiming the Shahi Jama Masjid was constructed over a temple.

A court-ordered survey was conducted on the same day (November 19), followed by another on November 24.

The second survey triggered significant unrest in the area, resulting in the deaths of four persons and injuries to 29 policemen.