Deadly violence over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, a 16th century mosque, brought Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh to a grinding halt. The Shahi Jama Masjid in the city is one of the three major mosques built during the brief reign of Babur, the first Mughal emperor to rule India. According to Hindu scriptures, Sambhal is destined to be the birth place of Kalki, the tenth avatar of Lord Vishnu.

A mob protesting the survey of the mosque allegedly clashed with the police. In the ensuing violence, five died from bullet wounds and scores sustained injuries. Police tightened security, snapped internet services, issued prohibitory orders in the area and made arrests. But, there's more than meets the eye...

Video Producer: Shohini Bose
Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma