In response to the 1978 Sambhal riots, the Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a new investigation and requested a report from the police within a week.

The Deputy Secretary of the Home (Police) Department wrote to the Superintendent of Police (SP), designating an Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) to oversee the investigation. The District Magistrate (DM) has also received a letter from the SP asking for the appointment of an administrative officer to conduct a joint probe.

In a letter to Sambhal District Officer Dr. Rajendra Pensia dated January 7, Sambhal SP KK Bishnoi said that Shrichandra Sharma, a member of the UP Legislative Council, has called for an investigation into the Sambhal riots of 1978. UP’s Deputy Secretary of Home and Superintendent of Police (Human Rights) has written to him on this.

Sambhal SP Shrichandra will participate in the investigation on the police’s behalf in this case.

Significant religious unrest is said to have resulted from the 1978 Sambhal riots, which included widespread violence, fire, and the eviction of many Hindu households. According to survivors, a large number of Hindus were slain during the riots and were compelled to leave the region.

Shortly after the historic Kartik Mahadev Temple in Sambhal reopened after a 46-year closure, there is a revived interest in the riots. Following a violent event that occurred on November 24, 2024, during a survey at Shahi Jama Masjid, the temple was reopened.

The temple’s reopening was hailed by former occupants who had left because of the riots, who described their terrifying experiences and said they saw it as a step toward justice and healing.

In addition to ensuring responsibility for the violence, the joint inquiry seeks to clarify the events of 1978.