Police stop Hindu seer from Gyanvapi Mosque visit

Avimukteshwaranand had planned to offer prayers at the Shivling-like structure that purportedly was discovered during the second phase of a court-monitored videography survey of the complex in May.

In protest, Avimukteshwaranand is on a sit-in "dharna" in front of his Sri Vidya Mutt and has announced an indefinite fast until allowed to carry forward his mission.

The seer was stopped from leaving the Mutt in Varanasi by police just minutes before he was about to set out for the Gyanvapi complex.

Police stopped him at his monastery on Kedar Ghat citing law and order issue. Heavy police force has also been deployed around Sri Vidya Mutt.

The seer said that he will apprise his guru, Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati of Dwarka Sharda Peeth. He will only follow his teacher's instructions, he said.

Avimukteshwaranand claimed that the purported Shivling discovered on May 15 is of God Adi Visheshwara, which cannot be left without daily worship.

The Shiving-like structure has been sealed as per May 16 local court order. The structure was discovered inside the wazookahana (where people offering namaz carry out ablution) of the Gyanvapi mosque complex.

On Jun 2, Avimukteshwaranand announced that he will go to 'Sri Adi Visheshwara' in Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi mosque complex on June 4 to worship the recovered deity.

In his press conference on Thursday here, Avimukteshwaranand said the Shivling-like structure which has been found in the wazookhana after a very long period cannot be left without daily worship as it is God Adi Visheshwara.