Gyanvapi Masjid Case: Petitioner Claims 'Shivling' Found At Complex, Varanasi Court Orders DM To Seal Area

After the conclusion of the survey, the Varanasi court ordered the District Magistrate of Varanasi, Kaushal Raj Sharma, "to seal the area where the Shivling was found".

New Delhi: A Varanasi court on Monday ordered the District Magistrate to seal the area at the Gyanvapi Mosque complex where a 'Shivling' has been allegedly found during the last day of court-ordered survey. The court prohibited the entry of any person to the area, news agency ANI reported. "DM, police commissioner, police commissionerate, and CRPF commandant Varanasi responsible for security of the sealed area," the order reads.

Sohan Lal Arya, a Hindu petitioner in the case, claimed that the survey committee found a Shivling at the complex.

Arya, who accompanied the court commission for the mosque survey, said that they have found "conclusive evidence". "Shivling....Jiski Nandi pratiksha kar rahi thi... The moment things became clear the chants of 'Har Har Mahavdev' resonated in mosque premises," he claimed, as quoted by news agency ANI.

Following the claim, the Varanasi court ordered the District Magistrate of Varanasi, Kaushal Raj Sharma, "to seal the area where the Shivling was found and to bar people from going to the place." In its order, the court stated that the DM, police commissioner, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commandant Varanasi will be responsible for the security of the sealed area.

Meanwhile, UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya reacted to the development saying: "The revelation of Baba Mahadev in Gyanvapi on the occasion of Buddha Purnima has given a puranic message to the Sanatan Hindu tradition of the country."

The mosque is located close to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple and the local court is hearing a plea by a group of women seeking permission for daily prayers before the idols on its outer walls.

Gyanvapi Mosque Case: 3-Day Videography Survey Concludes

A court-mandated videography survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex took place in Varanasi on Monday, the team visited the site for the third consecutive day amid tight security. Around 65 per cent of the survey was completed till Sunday, news agency PTI reported officials as saying. 

Varanasi District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma said that "no details of the survey of Gyanvapi mosque were disclosed by any member of the commission." "The court is the custodian of the information about the survey. One member was debarred from the commission for about a few mins yesterday, later admitted to the commission," he added, as quoted by ANI.

Police Commissioner A Satish Ganesh stated that the police spoke with all stakeholders and reached a consensus that it os important to follow the court's order. "We also cleared people's misconceptions, worked on confidence building. The 3-day survey has ended. We thank the people of Kashi for their cooperation," he added.

Advocate Vishal Singh, the Court-appointed special assistant commissioner in Varanasi said, "We will try to submit our report as soon as possible. The survey was conducted in an unhindered manner."