After Sambhal and Varanasi, a temple closed for many years...
Bharatiya Janata party leaders and Hindu organizations claimed that another Shiv temple closed for a long time has been found in a Muslim dominated area of delhi Gate police station area of Aligarh. They told that this temple located in Sarai Miyan area was found on thursday evening. At the same time, 36 hours ago, another similar closed temple was found in Sarai Rehman area under Banna Devi police station area.
Bharatiya Janata yuva Morcha (BJYM) city unit secretary Harshad, Bajrang Dal leader Ankur shivaji reached the spot along with many others and told that the closed temple premises was completely in disarray and the idols were buried under the debris. He said that the locks on the gate were broken in the presence of police and the temple was cleaned and purified amid religious slogans.
What did the police say?
Superintendent of police (City) Mrigank Shekhar Pathak told reporters late thursday night that peace committee meetings were being held in these areas to ensure that these temples are fully restored and prayers are offered peacefully. "So far, no untoward incident has been reported from both the areas," he said. According to local residents of Sarai Miyan, communal riots took place in the city before and after the demolition of the Babri Masjid, which led to the migration of Hindus and Muslims. He said this demographic change led to the construction of new colonies along with settlements.
What people said?
local resident Mohammad Aqeel Qureshi said that for the last several years, no worship of any kind was being done in the temple and no one visited the premises. He said that Muslim residents took the initiative to prevent encroachment on the temple land and built a boundary wall. However, most people believe that no worship of any kind was done in this temple for three or four decades because the people of the Hindu community living here migrated after the communal riots. Meanwhile, many activists of Hindu organizations on friday along with devotees performed rituals like Aarti, Shiv Paath and Hanuman Chalisa in the Shiv temple found in the Muslim-dominated Sarai Miyan area of Aligarh.