BAREILY: Police are now suspecting that the Nov 24 violence in Sambhal was “orchestrated by absconding gangster Shariq Satha“, a native of the western UP town who is allegedly settled in the UAE. This comes after they found “unusual money transfer to account holders in Sambhal and foreign-made cartridges”. Earlier, police had said they had found Pak and USA-made bullets near the mosque, pointing to the involvement of a ‘foreign hand’ in the violence. They had also attributed the violence to the rivalry between Turkish and Pathan Muslims in the area.
Shariq, who has 54 cases against him in Sambhal and nearby districts, went to Dubai with a fake passport after bail in 2020 and has “links with Dawood and Pakistan’s ISI”, police said. He is wanted by Delhi Police as well since his gang is involved in theft of over 300 vehicles from NCR, they added.
SP (Sambhal) Krishan Kumar Bishnoi told TOI: “Name of Shariq Satha has come up during the investigation. Pakistani and US-made pistol cartridges were found here a few days ago, which may point at the involvement of Shariq. He may have provided them to his associates who caused the unrest.”
The SP said that Shariq is also wanted by police in other states for cases related to vehicle theft and robbery. Around two years ago, Delhi’s crime branch had recovered 300 vehicles from the Shariq gang. “We’re continuing our efforts to bring him back to the country and dismantle his criminal network,” the SP added. Police in Sambhal’s Nakhasa area had also recently seized his plot of land worth over Rs 1 crore.
An SIT is investigating the violence case which took place during a court-directed survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. Five people died and many police personnel were hurt in the unrest.
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