Hindu petition seeks to restrict entry on terrace of Gyanvapi cellar

Varanasi (UP), Feb 28: The Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case filed a new petition on Wednesday at the Varanasi district court, seeking to stop the entry into the terrace of the 'Vyas Ji Ka Tehkhana', located in the southern area of the Gyanvapi mosque complex.

The petition said that there was a possibility of an accident since the terrace is 500 years old.

In the petition filed by plaintiff Ram Prasad Singh, the Hindu side also demanded to restrict people from offering namaz on the terrace.

It sought repair of the terrace as there could be a major accident while devotees are worshipping inside the restricted area.

The development comes two days after the Allahabad High Court dismissed a petition challenging the district court's January 31 order that allowed Hindus to offer puja in the southern cellar.

On Monday, the single bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Aggarwal heard the plea filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee.

In its order, the Varanasi district court had also directed the district administration to make the necessary arrangements for the puja to be performed by the devotees and asked the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust to nominate a priest for the same.

Following this, the mosque committee challenged the Varanasi court order's decision in the Allahabad High Court.