40% Survey and Videography of the Gyanvapi Mosque completed on the first day

Today the remaining survey and videography will be completed

Varanasi (UP) – The survey and videography were done between 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the 14^th of May at the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi. This is only 40% of the task to be done. The rest will be on the 15^th of May. The report of this survey will be presented to the Court on the 17^th of May.

Gyanvapi mosque row: 40% survey completed with full cooperation on day 1 amid security https://t.co/G5U7hI2LH2

— Republic (@republic) May 14, 2022

The survey and videography began in the morning. At this time, the Court Commissioner, 2 Deputy Commissioners of the Court, the lawyers and their clients, and 52 other individuals were present. All of them had to deposit their mobile phones outside the premise. The Government Administrator had banned the entry of citizens in an area of 500 metes around the Gyanvapi. For security reasons, the 1kilometer area was manned by more than 1,500 police personnel.

Four chambers in the basement of the Gyanvapi were opened

In the survey, today 4 chambers of the Gyanvapi’s basement were opened. Of these, 3 chambers are in the custody of the Muslims and 1 chamber is in the custody of the Hindus. Their videography has been completed. Along with the basement, the western wall of the Mosque has been surveyed and videography is done. Torches were taken to help in the survey and videography of the basement, which had been locked for years. Similarly, personnel was taken along to break the locks and clean the place. The snake charmers were also taken in case snakes were in the basement.

Found more than that was expected -Hindu client

As per the instructions of the Court, none of the survey team spoke with the media that was there outside the Gyanvapi area. The Court had warned that if ‘anyone leaks the findings to the media action will be taken against him’. Despite this Jitendra Singh Bissen, Chief of the Visva Vaidik Sangh said, ‘the Court has asked that the whole proceeding has to be kept a secret. So, we cannot tell you anything; but can say this, got much more than we imagined.’ Some of the locks were opened with the keys while some had to be broken. After the survey was done all four chambers were locked again.