Call for Justice: Reinvestigating the 1978 Sambhal Riots

A right-wing group is urging an investigation into the 1978 Sambhal riots after police shut down previous attempts. Hindu Shakti Dal's Simran Gupta alleges past governments shielded perpetrators, advocating for justice for victims' families. He demands Uttar Pradesh's chief minister initiate probes by CBI and NIA.

A right-wing group is pressing for renewed investigations into the 1978 riots in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. The Hindu Shakti Dal, led by national president Simran Gupta, argues that past governments protected those responsible for the violence, resulting in an acquittal of 48 accused individuals.

This appeal comes shortly after the Uttar Pradesh Police dismissed reports of a potential reinvestigation into the communal riots, which resulted in numerous fatalities. Gupta has called upon Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to initiate a thorough inquiry, with the involvement of both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to ensure justice for the victims' families.

Gupta's organization claims a nationwide membership of 30,000, actively working to safeguard Sanatan Dharma. The group reports recent activities including property purchases linked to Dawood Ibrahim and legal actions involving religious sites. Tensions in Sambhal escalated on November 24 during a court-ordered survey, where violence led to several casualties and injuries.

(With inputs from agencies.)