Sambhal (PTI): Police detained three people from Delhi on Friday for allegedly attempting to perform Hindu rituals, including a havan and puja, at the Shahi Jama Masjid here, officials said.

The administration had already deployed heavy security at the mosque due to Friday prayers.

Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Bishnoi confirmed the detentions, stating, "Three individuals arrived by a car and were taken into custody near the disputed site. They have been sent to the police station, and action will be taken against them for disturbing public order. They will also be warned not to enter Sambhal in the future."

One of the detained men, Sanatan Singh, claimed, "We came to perform a havan and yagna at the Vishnu Harihar temple, but the police arrested us. If namaz can be offered there, why can't we perform puja?"

Another detainee, Veer Singh Yadav, said, "We came to conduct rituals at the Sambhal mosque, but the police stopped us."

Anil Singh, the third detainee, added, "We were there for a havan at the Harihar temple when we were taken into custody."

The police action follows heightened tensions over religious activities at the site in Mohalla Kot Garvi. Authorities have emphasised that any attempt to disrupt communal harmony will be dealt with strictly.

Four people had died in violence that broke out on November 24 last year as locals protested against a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid.

The court had ordered the survey while hearing a petition that claimed the mosque stood at the site of a demolished Hindu temple.

The violence, that also resulted in injuries to several people including security personnel, has left Sambhal simmering in communal tension.