The Supreme Court on Tuesday permitted the cleaning of the "wazukhana" (ablution tank) within the Gyanvapi mosque compound, where a disputed structure – claimed by Hindus to be a "Shivling" and by Muslims to be a "fountain" – was found in May 2022.
The "wazukhana" area was sealed off by court order following the discovery during a court-mandated survey. Hindu petitioners had filed a plea seeking directions for cleaning the area, citing the death of a fish in the tank between December 2023 and January 2024.
The Supreme Court received an application from Hindu petitioners urging the District Magistrate of Varanasi to issue directives for the thorough cleaning of the entire 'wazukhana' area of the Gyanvapi mosque. The application highlighted an incident of a fish in the water tank perishing between December 12 to 25, 2023. In response, the Gyanvapi mosque management committee conveyed its endorsement for the cleaning of the water tank.