"Will try to complete task as per court orders": Sambhal Jama Masjid Sadar Chief on whitewashing mosque

The Jama Masjid Sadar Chief stated that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has undertaken the work and appointed all labour.

"The whitewashing work has begun. Around 9-10 people are working. More people may be put to work if needed... We will try to complete the task as per the court orders... There are 9-10 people assigned by the ASI. Another 10-20 people may be called... The task has been undertaken by the ASI; all the labour has been appointed by them. The work will continue till 5 pm today..." Ali told ANI.

Speaking on the whitewashing work of Sambhal Jama Masjid, Jama Masjid Committee Secretary Masood Farooqui said, "Labourers have come for whitewashing... The outer part will be painted."

The work of whitewashing of Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh' Sambhal began on Sunday after the Allahabad High Court granted permission on March 12.

Speaking to ANI, the contractor assigned by the ASI to whitewash the Sambhal Jama Masjid, stated that the work is likely to be completed within a week and a total of eight people have been working on it.

"A total of eight people are at work. The work of whitewashing has been started... We will finish the work within a week. We have been only directed to whitewash the mosque. We have been assigned by the ASI," he said.

While hearing the case of the Sambhal Jama Masjid on March 12, the Allahabad High Court gave permission to whitewash the mosque from the outside and also decorate it with lights without tampering with anything. The next hearing in the case is on April 8.

Meanwhile, security was heightened in the Shahi Jama Masjid area of Sambhal after the Allahabad High Court directed a three-member committee to oversee the mosque's painting ahead of Ramzan.

Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal mandated a panel consisting of officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), a scientific expert, and a local administration representative to ensure the work was conducted without causing structural damage to the mosque.

Sambhal ASP Shrish Chandra told ANI that heavy security arrangements have been put in place around the site. "Tight security arrangements have been made around the disputed site. An adequate police force has been deployed... Peace will be maintained... Surveillance is being conducted through CCTV and drones," he said.

Earlier in February, the Uttar Pradesh police's SIT filed a chargesheet of over 4,000 pages in six of the 12 cases in the November 24 Sambhal violence that erupted during the ASI's examination of the Mughal-era mosque.

The violence resulted in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to several others, including officials and locals.

According to the chargesheet, 80 arrests have been made, and 79 are still pending. There are 159 total accused in the case.

The chargesheet also mentioned that the weapons recovered from the site of violence and other places were manufactured in the United Kingdom, USA, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. (ANI)