Violence Erupts During Fake Voter Probe in UP’s Sambhal, Officials Take Shelter

Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh): A violent clash broke out in Asmoli area of Sambhal district during an official probe into alleged fake voter registrations ahead of the three-tier panchayat elections, forcing senior revenue officials to take shelter to save their lives.

The incident occurred at the panchayat secretariat in Bilalpat village, where a Deputy Collector and a Naib Tehsildar were conducting an inquiry into suspected bogus voter entries. Tensions escalated when supporters of the husband of the sitting village head and those backing a rival pradhan candidate confronted each other, leading to chaos inside the government office.

According to officials, both sides began hurling stones and chairs at each other during the altercation, creating panic at the venue. Deputy Collector Neetu Rana, Naib Tehsildar Deepak Jurail, and members of the inquiry team were forced to lock themselves inside a room for safety as the violence intensified.

The confrontation stemmed from a recent surprise inspection ordered by District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya, which reportedly uncovered widespread irregularities in the village voter list. The probe revealed that voter registrations included names of minors below the age of 12, deceased persons, and individuals residing outside the village.

Acting on the district magistrate’s directions, a case was registered at the Asmoli police station against 48 residents of Bilalpat village for allegedly using forged documents to obtain voter registration. The complaint was filed by supervisor accountant Gannu Babu under serious penal provisions.

On Tuesday, Deputy Collector Neetu Rana and Naib Tehsildar Deepak Jurail visited the village to further investigate the fraud. At the time, complainant Mohammad Qamar Ali, husband of the sitting village head, along with pradhan candidate Abid and their supporters, were present at the secretariat. The exchange of accusations soon escalated into physical violence.

Upon receiving information, Asmoli police station in-charge Mohit Chaudhary rushed to the spot with a heavy police force and dispersed the crowd. More than half a dozen individuals were detained from the scene, and three persons—including Mohammad Qamar Ali—were later arrested and sent to jail.

Police said that some supporters of pradhan candidate Abid sustained injuries during the clash. Based on Abid’s complaint, cases have been registered against five named individuals and several unidentified persons from the rival camp under multiple sections, including attempt to murder.

Videos and photographs of the incident have since gone viral on social media. Police officials said further arrests are likely as additional accused are being identified based on video evidence.