Ahead of April 2 hearing, MP High Court judges inspect Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque site

Two Madhya Pradesh High Court judges inspected the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar on Saturday ahead of a hearing on April 2 related to the disputed 11th-century structure.

While Hindus consider it to be a temple of Vagadevi (Saraswati), the Muslim community calls its Kamal Maula Mosque.

Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi of the Indore bench of HC reached the site at around 1.50 p.m. and left at 2.45 p.m., an official said.

They were accompanied by Collector Priyank Mishra and Superintendent of Police Mayank Awasthi.

Amid tight security, the Judges examined various parts of the structure, which is under the jurisdiction of Archaeological Survey of India, and gathered information about its architecture and history. They also inspected pillars and inscriptions, the official said.

The Judges had said on March 16 that they would visit the site, petitioner Ashish Goyal told PTI.

“Senior district administration and ASI officials facilitated the visit. The judges had directed during the March 16 hearing that no petitioner should be present at the site during their visit. So we did not go,” Mr. Goyal said.