An Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team on Monday examined a well discovered during debris removal at the site of a mosque demolished on the premises of the Saharanpur collectorate, officials said.
The well, estimated to be around 20 feet deep and 1.5 metres wide, was found on Sunday beneath the debris of the structure. The area was subsequently barricaded by the administration.
Three ASI officials reached the site on Monday afternoon and examined the well in the presence of local administration officials, Sadar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Subodh Kumar said.
“The ASI officials measured the depth of the well after placing a ladder inside and examined its interior. They also carried out photography and videography and collected samples of soil and brick remnants from inside the well as part of their investigation,” Kumar said.
The examination is expected to help establish the age and historical background of the well.
The discovery has triggered competing claims over its origin. Vikas Tyagi, a former Bajrang Dal convenor and the complainant in the case, claimed that a temple may have existed at the site before the mosque was built.
Congress MP Imran Masood, however, said the well was part of the mosque and had earlier been used to supply water for wuzu, or ablution before prayers.
The mosque on the collectorate premises was demolished on September 5 amid heavy police deployment. Tyagi had filed a petition before the city magistrate in 2025, alleging that the structure was illegal. The city magistrate subsequently declared it illegal and ordered its demolition.
The mosque management committee challenged the order before the district court, which dismissed its appeal on September 2.
(With inputs from PTI)