Dhar: The court-mandated survey of the Bhojshala/Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar, being conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), continued on the eighth day amid heightened security arrangements.
The security has been stepped up in view of the Friday prayers to be offered by the Muslim community members at the site, a police official said.
Members of the ASI team reached the controversial complex around 6 am, carrying gadgets, bags and files with them.
“In addition to the existing force, 35 additional policemen were deployed at the Bhojshala complex on Friday. In the past, around 1,600 people used to offer namaz at the site. But after the ASI launched its survey, around 2,400 people offered prayers there between 1 pm and 3 pm last Friday,” Superintendent of Police Manoj Singh told PTI over phone.
So more than 150 police personnel are posted at the site at present, another official said.
Two new experts have joined the ASI team on the eighth day of the survey.
“As part of the security arrangements, CCTV cameras were installed in and around Bhojshala from the day the survey started,” Singh said.
This is the third Friday of Ramzan, observed by Muslims across the world as a month of fasting, prayer and reflection. During the namaz last week, the ASI team had stepped out of the complex.
Both Hindus and Muslims stake claim to the complex. Hindus consider Bhojshala to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community call it Kamal Maula Mosque. As per an ASI order of April 7, 2003, Hindus are allowed to worship inside the Bhojshala complex every Tuesday, while Muslims are allowed to offer namaz at the site on Fridays.
The High Court’s Indore bench had directed the ASI to carry out a scientific survey of the medieval-era Bhojshala complex in Dhar district on March 11. The HC has given six weeks’ time to the ASI for the survey and directed it to get back to it with an up-to-date report.
It is believed that Raja Bhoj, a Hindu king, had installed the statue of Vagdevi in Bhojshala in 1034 AD. Hindu groups say the British took this statue to London in 1875.
The ASI team has noticed some beams under the foundation at a place during their survey, sources said, adding that this might lead the team to dig up more places to draw a firm conclusion.
Ashish Goyal and Gopal Sharma representing the Hindu community, and Abdul Samad representing the Muslims, accompany the ASI team during the survey.
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