Sambhal administration reopens old temple closed since 1978 riots

     Sambhal (UP), Dec 14 (PTI) The Sambhal administration here on Saturday uncovered and reopened a temple, which is said to have been closed for 46 years, as part of its anti-encroachment drive.
     The Bhasma Shankar temple, which is situated in Khaggu Sarai area under Nakhasa police station, houses an idol of Lord Hanuman and a Shivling.
     The temple had remained locked since 1978 after the communal riots that led to the displacement of the local Hindu community, locals claimed.
     Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vandana Mishra, who was leading a campaign against electricity theft in the area, said, "While inspecting the region, we stumbled upon this temple. Upon noticing it, I immediately informed the district authorities.
     "We all came here together and decided to reopen the temple," Mishra said, adding that the temple had been closed for decades and the local residents confirmed it had been locked since 1978.
     The temple also has a well nearby which the authorities plan to reopen.
     Local residents shared their memories of the temple, with many highlighting its importance as a religious site for the community.
     Vishnu Shankar Rastogi, the 82-year-old patron of the Nagar Hindu Mahasabha, shared his personal connection with the temple.
     "I have lived in Khaggu Sarai since my birth. After the 1978 riots, our community was forced to migrate from the area. This temple, dedicated to our Kulguru, has been locked since then," Rastogi said.
     Weeks after four people died in a violence over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in this Uttar Pradesh district, the administration has launched a campaign to tackle encroachments and power theft in areas around the Mughal-era mosque.
     Khaggu Sarai is just over a kilometre away from the Jama Masjid.
     Violence had taken place in Sambhal on November 24 over surveying of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid in the Kot Garvi area. Four people were killed and several, including police personnel, were injured in the violence.
     An imam of another mosque in Sambhal was on Friday fined Rs 2 lakh for allegedly using a loudspeaker at high volume, officials said.
     The incident took place in the Anar Wali Masjid in the Kot Garvi area, according to administration officials.
     The imam was directed to refrain from similar conduct for the next six months, according to an order passed by the SDM.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)