Sun Mar 16 04:50:20 UTC 2025: **Allahabad High Court Orders Whitewashing of Uttar Pradesh Mosque; Work Begins**
SAMBHAL, Uttar Pradesh, March 16, 2025 – The whitewashing of the outer wall of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, commenced Sunday morning, following an Allahabad High Court order. The court, on March 12th, directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to complete the work within a week. An ASI team conducted preliminary measurements and assessments on March 13th.
The mosque’s advocate, Shakeel Warsi, confirmed the start of the whitewashing. The action comes after tensions flared in Sambhal following riots on November 24, 2024, sparked by a survey of the Mughal-era mosque. These riots resulted in four deaths and numerous injuries. The whitewashing is intended, presumably, to de-escalate tensions in the area.
First Piper 