VARANASI: After nod from the Supreme Court, Varanasi district magistrate S Rajalingam deputed a team of officials who supervised the cleaning of wuzukhana (ablution pond) of Gyanvapi mosque on Saturday.
Heavy police deployment was seen in the area. The cleaning workers were checked with their identities before entering the mosque. For almost three-and-half hours, the wuzukhana remained unsealed for cleaning.
During this time, the water of the pond was drained out. A total of 17 dead fish were disposed of while 38 live fish were handed over by the district administration to Anjuman Intezamia Masajid (mosque management committee).
Rajalingam said, “After cleaning of the wuzukhana, it was sealed again.”