Sambhal: Shahi mosque committee raises alarm over ‘bid’ to reclaim historic well

Shakil Ahmad Warsi, the committee’s legal representative, stated that the administration’s purported plan to change the well’s status has caused alarm.

The Shahi mosque committee in Sambhal has raised concern over an alleged attempt to alter the status of a centuries-old well beneath the mosque’s eastern wall. In a legal notice sent on Monday to the Uttar Pradesh government through the district magistrate, the committee highlighted its objections, stating that the well has been an integral part of the mosque premises for generations.

The committee took action after reports suggested that authorities were planning to reclaim the well, as mentioned in media statements. (PTI)

Reportedly, the committee took action after reports suggested that authorities were planning to reclaim the well, as mentioned in media statements.

Shakil Ahmad Warsi, the committee’s legal representative, stated that the administration’s purported plan to change the well’s status has caused alarm. “The well’s water has been exclusively used for wuzu (ablution) by the Muslim community and has never been part of non-Muslim rituals,” Warsi added.

Chief of the Shahi mosque committee, Zafar Ali, added that a motor had been installed in the well, which has since been covered, and a police picket has been set up for security. He warned that any interference with the well would violate the Supreme Court’s recent directives and the Places of Worship Act, besides potentially creating unrest among Muslims.

However, Sambhal district magistrate Rajendra Pensiya stated that he has yet to receive the legal notice issued by the Shahi Mosque Committee. Questioning the legitimacy of the committee, he remarked, “Who are they? Is the committee even registered?”

Pensiya clarified that the ongoing initiative to reclaim and revitalise wells in Sambhal is part of the administration’s broader policy for water and heritage conservation. “This effort will continue as planned,” he affirmed.

Around 17 to 18 wells, some located near temples and other sites, have been reclaimed, the DM said. “The reclaimed wells, several of which remain protected, are now being officially recorded in the land records,” he added.

The Sambhal administration has launched a comprehensive initiative to revive wells across the town. As part of this effort, a well near an abandoned temple in the Deepa Sarai locality was recently excavated and restored.

The dispute has gained further attention after violent clashes erupted in Sambhal on the morning of November 24, following a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Chandausi. The violence, including stone-pelting and vehicle torching, resulted in the deaths of five people.