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Amid heavy police deployment, the videography survey of the Gyanvapi mosque in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi commenced on Saturday, 14 May. Shops in the 500-metre radius were shut during the exercise.
"Today we'll enter the underground cell and begin videography. We will go in by 8 am," Advocate Shivam Gaur, representing petitioner Rakhi Singh, said, reported news agency ANI.
A Varanasi court had delivered its verdict on the matter on Thursday, saying that the survey and video inspection inside the Gyanvapi mosque would continue and the report be submitted by 17 May. The court in Varanasi also added two advocates to the survey commission.
Kashi zone DCP RS Gautam said there were "robust" security arrangements in place, to ensure that people do not face any inconvenience and "everything goes on well," reported ANI.
Thursday's order was decried by All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who termed the Gyanvapi Mosque verdict a "blatant violation" of the Places of Worship Act 1991.
The first day of the survey ended in the afternoon and will resumed again on Sunday, 15 May. "In a peaceful environment, today's survey was conducted by the commission, and it will continue further tomorrow. Necessary security arrangements have been made," ANI quoted A Satish Ganesh, Varanasi Police Commissioner, as saying.
Reacting to the controversy surrounding the Gyanvapi mosque, Congress leader P Chidambaram said that if there is any change regarding the status quo of the mosque, it may lead to a huge conflict.
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