Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 15 (ANI): Amid the ongoing tensions in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, the district administration on Sunday launched an anti-encroachment drive to clear public spaces of illegal structures.

According to Sambhal SDM Vandana Mishra, the operation aims to address encroachments in public areas and has been actively implemented in Chandauli for the past two months as well.

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"Anti-encroachment drive is being run against encroachment on public places. This drive has also been run in Chandauli for the last two months... A drive is being run against electricity theft also in Sambhal..," she said.

Earlier on Saturday morning, an anti-encroachment drive was carried out in the Shahi Jama Masjid area.

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Speaking to ANI, DM Rajender Pensiya said "In the morning, we came to check whether loudspeakers are causing unnecessary noise (pollution). It was seen that electricity theft is happening here in large numbers. Electricity theft is happening in about 15 to 20 houses and religious places. When we reached a mosque, we found 59 fans, a fridge, a washing machine and about 25 to 30 light points and the meter was found switched off. An intensive checking campaign is going on."

Meanwhile, a temple in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal which had been closed since 1978 has been reopened. The temple premises was cleaned and arrangements for electricity have been made on Sunday. Moreover, CCTV cameras have also been installed for security reasons.

Vishnu Sharan Rastogi, patron of Nagar Hindu Sabha, earlier claimed that the temple has been reopened after 1978. He said that the temple was closed because no priest was ready to live there.

Sambhal Circle Officer (SO) Anuj Kumar Chaudhary earlier said that they found a temple while inspecting information about encroachment.

"We had received information that a temple in the area was being encroached upon. When we inspected the spot, we found a temple there," Chaudhary told ANI earlier on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Police personnel were deployed outside the Lord Shiv and Hanuman temple which reopened after 1978 and a prayer ceremony (aarti) was performed on Sunday morning. (ANI)

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