Several Samajwadi Party (SP) lawmakers, including its Sambhal MP, were stopped from entering the violence-hit Sambhal district on Saturday as the administration extended a ban on the entry of outsider

As the situation remains tense in the wake of 24 November violence, the administration has called for cooperation from all political parties to ensure peace and stability in the district

In a bid to maintain peace and order in the district, the Sambhal district administration prohibited the entry of outsiders till December 10.

Sambhal District Magistrate said to maintain peace and order, the imposition of Section 163 of the BNSS in the district has been extended to Dec 31

Tension had been brewing in Sambhal since November 19 when the court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era mosque was carried out following claims that a Harihar temple previously stood at the site

A Samajwadi Party delegation heading to violence-hit Sambhal were detained after the district administration prohibited the entry of outsiders there till December 10, drawing criticism from its chief Akhilesh Yadav.

On his visit to Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh Assembly LoP and Samajwadi party leader Mata Prasad Pandey asserted that Sambhal DM asked him not to visit there. On Saturday, Pandey criticised the administration for deploying police outside his residence without notice.