UP Govt Denies Mosque Panel’s Claim Over Well, Calls It Public Property
Last Updated on February 27, 2025 by Athi Venkatesh
UP Government Rejects Mosque Panel’s Claim Over Well
The Uttar Pradesh government has denied the Shahi Jama Masjid Committee’s claim over a well near the mosque. In its report to the Supreme Court, the state asserted that the well, known as “Dharani Varah Koop,” is on public land and has no connection to the mosque.
The report stated that the well is not inside the Mughal-era structure, which the state called a “disputed religious site.” It also clarified that the mosque itself stands on public land. The government maintained that the well has always been used by people of all communities and is now dry.
Mosque Panel’s Legal Challenge
Last November, a trial court ordered a survey of the mosque after a suit claimed it was built over a demolished temple. The mosque management challenged this order in the Supreme Court, which directed it to approach the High Court while pausing the survey.
Later, the mosque panel filed an application stating that local authorities had issued notices calling the adjacent well a temple. The panel claimed the well was used for mosque purposes and feared opening it for Hindu prayers could disturb communal harmony. In response, the Supreme Court restrained authorities from acting on the notice and sought a status report from the state.
State’s Findings and Arguments
The state government formed a three-member committee to investigate. The report revealed that part of the well was covered in 2012, and a police post was built over it after the 1978 riots. It also noted another well, “Yagna Koop,” inside the mosque’s boundary, which remains untouched.
The state accused the mosque panel of submitting misleading photographs to support its claim. It argued that the panel’s case is baseless since the Allahabad High Court has already stayed the trial court’s proceedings. The government urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the petition, stating the mosque panel is trying to claim public property as private.
Case: Committee of Management, Shahi Jama Masjid, Sambhal v. Hari Shankar Jain & Others (SLP(C) No. 28500/2024).
