Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh): A well has been discovered near the ancient Lord Shiva temple which was reopened on Saturday after 42 years. The district administration discovered the signs of a well after it removed the ramp and debris from the site, the District Magistrate said.
Sambhal DM Rajendra Pensiya visited the site and said that a ramp was constructed on the ancient well and the well was discovered only after removing the ramp.
"We are cleaning the (ancient Lord Shiva temple) temple. A ramp was constructed upon the ancient well...When we destroyed the ramp, we found a well..." DM Pensiya told ANI.
The DM further said that the ancient temple of Lord Shiva was found when the district administration team was inspecting for electricity theft in the area. The temple will be handed over to people of the community to whom the temple belongs and action will be taken against those who encroached upon the temple, he added.
"When we were carrying out a campaign against the electricity theft in the area, we found a temple which was encroached...The temple will be handed over to people of the community to whom the temple belongs...Action will be taken against those who encroached upon the temple...The ASI should find out how ancient the temple is through carbon dating..." DM Pensiya said.
Meanwhile, Sambhal Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vandana Mishra also reached the spot and said that the temple was found when the district administration was inspecting the electricity theft. The encroachment upon the temple will be removed, she added.
Vishnu Sharan Rastogi, patron of Nagar Hindu Sabha, claimed that the temple has been reopened after 1978. He said that the temple was closed because no priest was ready to live there.
"We used to live in the Khaggu Sarai area...We have a house nearby (in the Khaggu Sarai area)...After 1978, we sold the house and vacated the place. This is a temple of Lord Shiva...We left this area and we were not able to take care of this temple. No priest lived in this place...15-20 families left this area...We had closed the temple because the priests could not live here. The priest did not dare to live here...The temple was closed since 1978 and today it has been opened..." Rastogi told ANI.
He had informed that there was a well outside the temple which has been destroyed. (ANI)