Court Allows Hindu Prayers in Gyanvapi Mosque's Sealed Cellar

The decision, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal battle, is set to be challenged by the Muslim side in the Allahabad High Court.

A district court in Varanasi, India, has allowed Hindu devotees to offer prayers in the 'Vyas Ji Ka Tehkhana' area inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex.
The 'Vyas Ji Ka Tehkhana' is a cellar in the mosque complex that was sealed in 1993. The petitioner, Shailendra Pathak Vyas, claimed his family had worshipped idols in the cellar for generations before it was sealed.
The court's decision is seen as a major development in the ongoing legal battle surrounding the Gyanvapi mosque, built in the 17th century, which is one of several Islamic houses of worship that Hindu activists have sought to reclaim for their religion.
The Muslim side, represented by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, plans to challenge the court's order in the Allahabad High Court.
The court's decision was the final verdict of Dr Ajaya Krishna Vishvesha, Varanasi district and sessions judge, before his retirement.