Uttar Pradesh: Shiva-Hanuman Temple found while cops were inspecting encroachment in Sambhal

Sambhal Circle Officer (SO) Anuj Kumar Chaudhary said the temple was found recently while they were inspecting information on encroachment.

"We had received information that a temple in the area was being encroached upon. When we inspected the spot, we found a temple there," Chaudhary told ANI.

Patron of Nagar Hindu Sabha, Vishnu Sharan Rastogi, claimed the temple has been reopened.

Sambhal Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vandana Mishra, who reportedly visited the spot, said the temple was found when the district administration was inspecting electricity theft.

She said the encroachment on the temple would be removed.

"When we were carrying out a campaign against the electricity theft we found a temple. Residents of the area said that the temple has been closed since 1978. The temple has been opened and cleaned...The encroachment upon the temple will be removed," Mishra told ANI news agency.

Recent violence in Sambhal

Violence erupted in Sambhal recently over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid.

The order was passed after a plea claiming a Harihar temple existed at the site until Babar demolished it.

The first round of the survey was conducted.

The violence broke out during the second round of the survey.

When the survey team reached the site, a mob started shouting slogans and soon the scenario escalated to clash and violence forcing the cops to use force to take control of the situation.