Hindu right-wing groups in Aligarh have announced the discovery of another deserted Shiv temple in Sarai Miyan, a densely populated Muslim locality under the Delhi Gate police station. This revelation comes just 36 hours after a similar temple was uncovered and restored in Sarai Rehman, another Muslim-majority area.
According to Harshad, secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), and Ankur Shivaji of Bajrang Dal, the temple in Sarai Miyan was found in disarray with idols scattered amid debris. The premises were unlocked in the presence of the police, cleaned, and purified amidst chants of religious slogans.
Superintendent of Police (City) Mrigank Shekhar Pathak assured that peace committee meetings are being held to ensure the orderly restoration of worship at these temples. “No unpleasant incidents have been reported so far,” he stated.
Local resident Mohammad Aqil Qureshi explained that no worship had taken place at the temple for decades, with the last recorded use dating back to before communal riots prompted a demographic shift. Hindu residents of the Mahour caste, known for their work in lock-making furnaces, reportedly left the area during the riots. Qureshi also noted that the Muslim community had built a boundary wall around the temple to prevent encroachment.
The precise age of the temple and the exact period of its abandonment remain unclear, but the discovery has sparked conversations about Aligarh’s shared cultural heritage.
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