STATE TIMES NEWS
Varanasi: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Saturday examined the central hall of the Gyanvapi mosque on the second day of the scientific survey to determine if the 17th-century mosque was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.
Five members from the Muslim side were also present during the survey, after having stayed away on Friday.
Government counsel Rajesh Mishra, who was with the ASI survey team a day before as well, on Saturday said the team started work in the morning and completed it by 5 pm. The survey work was stopped between 1 pm to 3 pm for lunch.
ASI officials told PTI that the survey work will resume again at 8 am on Sunday.
According to ASI officials, the team examined the central hall of the mosque where Namaz is offered. The team also surveyed a few basement areas in the complex.
Advocate Tauheed Khan for the Muslim side said two lawyers of the Intezamia Masjid Committee accompanied the survey team.
A lawyer for the Hindu side Sudhir Tripathi claimed, “Not idols, but fragments of idols have been found in the debris. We are quite hopeful that idols will also be recovered… The Intezamia Masjid Committee is cooperating… they gave the keys which they were not giving earlier.”
Another lawyer of the Hindu side Subhash Nandan told reporters that the ASI team examined the central hall under the main dome.
