The communal violence in Sambhal, which resulted in four deaths and over 20 injuries, has sparked discussions about a possible rivalry between the Turk and Pathan communities. Political and administrative leaders are now examining the reasons behind the unrest.

Nitin Agarwal, a BJP leader and the excise minister for Uttar Pradesh, blamed the violence on "the politics of supremacy" between the two factions. “The arson and violence in Sambhal is the result of the politics of supremacy. The Turk-Pathan dispute not only disrupted the peace but also raised questions about the safety of common people. The promptness of the UP police is commendable,” said Agarwal in a post on X.

Agarwal reaffirmed his assertion to reporters on Tuesday that the violence was "pre-meditated" and the result of a dispute between groups led by Sohail Iqbal, son of MLA Nawab Iqbal Mehmood, who represented the Pathan community and Sambhal MP Zia ur Rehman Barq, a leader of the Turk tribe. The unrest in Sambhal started after a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. This followed a petition claiming the mosque was originally a Harihar temple. The situation escalated into violence, with protesters clashing with police, throwing stones, setting fires, and causing widespread chaos.

Sambhal’s Superintendent of Police, Krishan Kumar Vishnoi, reported that multiple FIRs have been filed against 2,750 people, including Barq and Sohail Iqbal, who are accused of encouraging the violence. While Minister Agarwal attributed the clashes to a long-standing rivalry, local historians and political analysts have provided different interpretations of the events. Aligarh Muslim University Professor Manvendra Kumar Pundhir rejected the idea that the turmoil was caused by a long-standing enmity between Turks and Afghans. The rivalry between Central Asian invaders and Afghans throughout the Middle Ages is no longer relevant, he stated, adding that "this theory is completely far-fetched and without any historical evidence."

"Everything should be decided based on the country's Constitution and the Places of Worship Act, 1992," Pundhir said, emphasising commitment to constitutional norms. Chaos will ensue if we keep bringing up such problems. The Barq and Mehmood families have been rivals in Sambhal's political scene for a long time. Both are linked to the Samajwadi Party and often compete against each other, causing tensions. Asgar Ali Ansari, the district president of SP, however, denied any rumours of animosity between the two leaders, saying, These allegations are baseless. Both leaders have supported each other in elections.” 

Sambhal District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya explained that the violence worsened when people from nearby areas, within 5 to 10 kilometres, suddenly joined in. The police are investigating whether this was part of a planned conspiracy. Superintendent of Police (SP) Vishnoi said it’s too early to confirm if political rivalry directly caused the violence, as the investigation is still ongoing. To maintain peace, authorities have restricted entry of “outsiders” into the district until November 30. SP MLA and Leader of Opposition in Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Mata Prasad Pandey, shared that an SP delegation planned to visit Sambhal on Tuesday but postponed the trip after State Police Chief Prashant Kumar assured a fair investigation.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Rai announced that a Congress delegation will visit Sambhal on Wednesday to assess the situation. “I will lead the delegation which will comprise human rights workers, legal experts and Congress cadre to meet the victims’ families,” Rai said. As Sambhal returned to normal after the violence, Haji Ehtesham, a Peace Committee member and leader of the All India Traders’ Association, stated that the unrest was caused by outsiders. He described the events as very unfortunate. “We must move on and restore peace,” he said, appealing for calm. Such acts disrupt the milieu, according to Saraswati Shishu Mandir's principal, Shiv Shankar Sharma. “The survey was being conducted as per government orders, there shouldn’t have been any issue. However, the people of Sambhal will rebuild communal harmony and work together again,” Sharma said.

Trader Deepak Kumar mentioned that Sambhal has always been a peaceful place. “I don’t understand what happened that day to cause such unrest,” he said. "The Muslim community should understand that the survey was conducted under court orders and such extreme reactions were unnecessary," stated Seema Arya, president of the Women's Upliftment Committee. Chanchal Verma, the BJP councillor for Ward 18, stated that the conflict has affected the poor the most.