Gyanvapi mosque: Varanasi court orders sealing of area where Shivling was found

VARANASI: A Varanasi court on Monday ordered to seal the well in the Gyanvapi Mosque complex amid reports that a Shivling was found in the well. With a controversy erupting over the court ruling, a bench of Supreme Court justices DY Chandrachud and PS Narasimham will take up the matter today.

The court commission conducted a three-day videography survey at Gyanvapi Mosque as per the court order. As the third day of the survey concluded, Sohan Lal Arya, a Hindu petitioner in the case, claimed that the commission found a Shivling inside a well in the mosque complex. Following this, Varanasi Civil Court Judge Ravikumar Divakar ordered providing CRPF security at the spot and to seal the area where the Shivling was found. The directive was issued to the District Magistrate, the Commissioner of Police and the CRPF Commandant in Varanasi.

Five women had filed a petition in the court seeking permission for daily worship at the Shringar Gauri temple, which is claimed to be situated inside the Gyanvapi Mosque premises. The petition also said that there were idols of Ganapati and Hanuman in the Gyanwapi mosque. On August 18, 2021, the court appointed Ajay Mishra as the court commissioner to look into the matter.

The court ordered the commission to examine whether there was an idol in the mosque and to use videography for this purpose. An appeal filed by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Management Committee against this had been rejected by the Allahabad High Court. The court had also rejected a petition accusing the court commission of behaving in a partisan manner. Following this, Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Management Committee approached the Supreme Court.

Chief Justice NV Ramana had directed the bench of Justice Chandrachud to consider the plea of ​​senior advocate Hussein Ahmadi for an urgent hearing in the matter.

In his order, Judge Ravikumar Divakar said that an atmosphere of fear was being created and he was worried about his family’s safety.