One of the litigants in KV-Gyanvapi case receives life threat

Harihar Pandey, one of the three litigants, who had filed a case in the civil court in 1991, seeking permission to offer prayers in the Gyanvapi compound, received a life threat on Thursday evening after which he had been provided security, police said on Saturday

Harihar Pandey, one of the three litigants, who had filed a case in the civil court in 1991, seeking permission to offer prayers in the Gyanvapi compound, received a life threat on Thursday evening after which he had been provided security, police said on Saturday.

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The threat call comes days after a Varanasi court on Thursday ordered an archaeological survey of a centuries-old mosque complex abutting the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple, saying the exercise was required to decide on pleas that allege the mosque was built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after partially demolishing a Hindu shrine.

Pandey along with Sonmantha Vyas and Rangnath Sharma are the petitioners in the case. They had filed the case on behalf of Swayambhu Lord Vishweshwar in the court.

Pandey said on Thursday he received the call from an unknown number wherein a person threatened him saying that even though he had won the case, he will not be able to get survey done by ASI. He will face serious consequences.

Pandey said he filed a complaint with police in this regard on Friday.

Assistant commissioner of police, Dashshwamedh, Awadhesh Pandey said a probe was being conducted and two cops have been deployed in security of Pandey. The mobile number from which the call was made was also being probed.

Earlier, civil judge (senior division) Ashutosh Tiwari had ordered a five-member committee -- comprising two Hindu, two Muslim members and an archaeological expert -- to oversee the “comprehensive physical survey”.

A court-appointed observer will chair the panel. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will conduct the exercise at its expense without any media briefings, the judge had ordered. The court had fixed May 31 as the next date of hearing.

“This court finds that survey by ASI alone can bring out the truth before this court. Irrespective of what surfaces, the survey by ASI may go on to help not only to the plaintiffs, but also to the defendants, if their version is indeed true,” the order read.

Muslim parties had opposed the decision and said they will approach the Allahabad high court.