PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday stayed further proceedings before a civil court hearing the plea seeking a survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid in UP's Sambhal.
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal passed the direction on a revision plea filed by the mosque's management committee.
The plea was filed after a Supreme Court order related to the matter challenged the proceedings aside from the maintainability of the suit filed over the dispute in the Sambhal district court.
The plea alleged the suit was filed on the afternoon of November 19, 2024, and within hours, the judge appointed a court commissioner, and directed him to carry out an initial survey at the mosque site.
The survey, it said, was carried out the same day, and again on November 24.
Five Muslim youth, including a minor, was killed in the morning of November 24, when UP police allegedly opened fire on people protesting the court-ordered survey of the Jama Masjid.
Opposition parties including the Samajwadi Party has alleged a conspiracy behind the violence and police firing at protesters.
According to the plea by the mosque committee, the court had directed for the survey report to be filed by November 29.
After hearing counsel for parties, the high court ordered the respondents to file their reply within four weeks and posted the matter on February 25.
The suit before the Sambhal district court was filed by Hari Shanker Jain and seven others claiming the mosque was built after razing a temple.
The order by the Allahabad HC comes hours after a local court in Sambhal had fixed March 5 as the next date of hearing in the case.