PRAYAGRAJ, Jan. 28 -- The Allahabad high court on Tuesday granted interim anticipatory bail to Mohd Alam, a youth whose father's plea had earlier led the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) court in Sambhal, on January 9, to order the registration of an FIR against certain police officers, including the then circle officer (CO) Anuj Chaudhary, for allegedly firing at him during the November 2024 violence. Alam has been named in an FIR under sections 191(3) (rioting with a deadly weapon), 109(1) (attempt to murder), 121 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant) and 132 (assault on a public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at a Sambhal police station. Justice Jitendra Kumar Sinha granted him interim anticipatory bail till February 25, 2026, and sought a reply (counter-affidavit) from the state government. During the hearing, counsel for the applicant submitted that Alam was innocent and apprehended arrest in the case, arguing that no offence was made out against him and that he was not named in the initial FIR. It was further argued that the applicant himself had suffered a gunshot injury in the incident and had undergone medical treatment. Opposing the bail plea, the state government's counsel sought time to file a counter-affidavit. It may be recalled that CJM Vibhanshu Sudheer had allowed an application filed under Section 173(4) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) by Alam's father Yameen and directed the Sambhal SHO to register a case and ensure that an investigation was conducted. In his application, Yameen alleged that at around 8:45 am on November 24, 2024, Alam was selling 'pape' (rusks) and biscuits on his thela (cart) near Jama Masjid, Mohalla Kot, Sambhal, when the named police officers suddenly opened fire on the crowd with the intention to kill....