An uneasy silence weighs heavily on the stillness of the empty streets in the centuries-old town of Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, where clashes with police over yet another 'mandir-masjid' dispute led to the deaths of local Muslim men.

Violence-hit Sambhal has been turned into a fortress ahead of Friday namaz with heavy police deployment around the Shahi Jama Masjid. Violence had broken out in the town during a court-ordered survey of the mosque on November 24 after a petition was filed claiming the Mughal-era mosque was built on a temple site.

Internet services restored in Sambhal after communal violence, with enhanced surveillance measures in place for peace during prayers.

Security has increased around Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, before Friday prayers due to recent tensions. The RAF and drones are deployed to maintain order after violence during ASI's examination of the mosque.

The petition contends that the survey at Sambhal's Jama Masjid, ordered by a civil judge, was conducted hastily and could lead to communal tensions, jeopardizing the secular fabric of the country.

Police held a flag march in areas near the Shahi Jama Masjid on Thursday, a day before Friday prayers, with top officials saying watertight security was put in place to prevent untoward incidents