Petitioner in Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi case gets death threat

After the Varanasi civil court directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a physical survey on the Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi Mosque complex, the main petitioner in the case, Harihar Pandey, allegedly got a death threat from a person named Yaseen.

Varanasi: The main petitioner in Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi dispute case, Harihar Pandey allegedly got a death threat after the Varanasi civil court directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a physical survey in the mosque premises.

Following this, Pandey's security has been heightened and the Police are investigating the matter.

Speaking on this to ETV Bharat, Pandey said that two security guards have been deployed outside his residence after he reported the matter to the Varanasi Police Commissioner.

"On the day of the hearing (Thursday), I received a call by a person named Yaseen. He then threatened me saying that ASI personnel will not be able to enter the temple premises and I along with my supporters will be killed," he added.

Notably, the Gyanvapi masjid shares a boundary wall with the Kashi Vishwanath temple. The petition filed by lawyer Vijay Shankar Rastogi claims that the mosque was built by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb after demolishing a portion of the temple.

The first petition in the case was filed in 1991 in Varanasi civil court by Swayambhu Jyotirlinga Bhagwan Vishweshwar wherein the petitioner had demanded to declare the entire Gyanvapi complex as a part of the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The petitioner further sought Muslims to be evicted from the complex area and demolition of the mosque. The petition also mentioned a Hindu temple to be built on the premises.