Chaos erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal this morning as a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Jama Masjid led to violent clashes between the locals and the police, leading to the deaths of three individuals. The mosque is at the centre of a contentious legal battle over claims that it was built on the site of a Hindu temple. The schools in Sambhal and nearby areas have been shut till November 25.
The violence, police said, started when a crowd gathered near the mosque as the survey team, led by an "Advocate Commissioner," began its work.