Sambhal’s Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishan Kumar and District Magistrate (DM) Rajender Pensiya offered prayers at the newly uncovered Shiv-Hanuman Temple in the district on Sunday. The temple, which had been concealed under encroachments for years, was rediscovered during an anti-encroachment drive aimed at removing illegal structures.
#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: Sambhal SP Krishan Kumar and DM Dr Rajender Pensiya offer prayers at the Shiv-Hanuman Temple which was discovered in Sambhal during an anti-encroachment drive carried out by district police and administration, yesterday. pic.twitter.com/UMxZZVhP4n
— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2024
Earlier in the day, amid rising tensions, the regional administration initiated an anti-encroachment operation to clear public spaces of unauthorized constructions. According to Sambhal SDM Vandana Mishra, the drive specifically targets public area encroachments and has been actively carried out in Chandauli for the past two months.
“The anti-encroachment drive is focused on clearing encroachments from public spaces. A similar drive has been running in Chandauli for the last two months. Additionally, a campaign against electricity theft is underway in Sambhal,” she said.
On Saturday morning, an anti-encroachment operation was conducted in the Shahi Jama Masjid area. DM Pensiya spoke to ANI, stating, “In the morning, we checked whether loudspeakers were contributing to unnecessary noise pollution. During the inspection, widespread electricity theft was discovered. Around 15 to 20 houses and religious places were found to be involved. At a mosque, we found 59 fans, a fridge, a washing machine, and approximately 25 to 30 light points, all with the meter switched off. An intensive checking campaign is ongoing.”
Meanwhile, the Shiv-Hanuman Temple in Sambhal, which had been closed since 1978, was reopened on Sunday. The temple premises were cleaned, and electricity connections were restored. CCTV cameras were also installed for security. Vishnu Sharan Rastogi, patron of the Nagar Hindu Sabha, confirmed that the temple had reopened after 46 years, explaining that it had remained closed due to the lack of a resident priest.
Sambhal Circle Officer (SO) Anuj Kumar Chaudhary, who was part of the inspection team, said, “We received information about encroachment in the area. Upon inspection, we discovered the temple.”
Police personnel have been stationed outside the Shiv-Hanuman Temple, which reopened after 46 years, and an aarti was performed earlier that morning.
Also Read: Sambhal’s Historic Temple Reopens, Morning Aarti Performed Today
