The cleaning work was carried out under the supervision of the district magistrate of Varanasi.

Gyanvapi Mosque: In the series of developments in the Gyanvapi mosque case, at the latest, the members of both the Hindu and Muslim sides said on Saturday that the cleaning work of the Wazukhana (ablution area) of the Gyanvapi mosque was completed on Saturday. They said that the cleaning work was carried out under the supervision of the district magistrate of Varanasi. During the entire procedure, a large number of police force and CRPF personnel were deployed both inside and around the site.

The cleaning work was conducted as per the Supreme Court’s orders. The cleaning work started around 9.15 am and continued for about two-and-a-half hours under the supervision of District Magistrate S Rajalingam, said Sudhir Tripathi, the advocate of the Hindu side.

A team of 26 people including municipal cleaning workers, fisheries department, and fire brigade employees were present.

Apart from them, also present were the four litigants from the Hindu side and their advocates as well as the litigants from the Muslim side and their advocates.

Sudhir Tripathi, the advocate of the Hindu side said that three motor pumps were installed to remove water from the tank built in Wazukhana. After draining the water, the tank was cleaned thoroughly. After cleaning, the washroom was also sealed again.

Mohammad Yasin, the Secretary of the Intejamia Masajid Committee said that after the tank was cleaned, dead fish lying in it were handed over to the Municipal Corporation employees adding that the administration gave over 40 live fish to him.

Earlier, in December last, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) submitted its sealed scientific survey report on the Gyanvapi Mosque before the Varanasi District Court after the Varanasi District Court granted a week’s extension to the ASI to submit a scientific survey report of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi.

At around the same time, the Allahabad High Court had dismissed all five suits challenging the maintainability of a civil suit pending before a Varanasi court seeking the restoration of a temple at the site where the Gyanvapi mosque exists. The petitions were filed by the Sunni Central Waqf Board and Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee regarding the ownership between Gyanvapi Mosque and Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi.

(With agency inputs)