Two days after violence broke out during a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque, life in Sambhal was gradually returning to normal on Tuesday with schools reopening and several shops selling daily essentials resuming operations. Internet services, however, remain suspended.
Police and administration officials are continuing to closely monitor the situation, with personnel deployed at key intersections and Rapid Action Force teams stationed in sensitive areas.
The authorities have imposed restrictions on the entry of outsiders and public representatives into Sambhal until November 30.
Although the situation in most parts of the district appeared calm, the area around Shahi Jama Masjid remained deserted.
Tension had been brewing in Sambhal since November 19 when the mosque was first surveyed on the court's orders following a petition claiming that a Harihar temple had stood at the site.
On Sunday, a large group of people gathered near the mosque and started shouting slogans a