The Allahabad High Court on March 12 directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to undertake and complete the whitewashing at the mosque within one week

Following the high court order, an ASI team carried out measurements and assessments on March 13

"The whitewashing of the outer wall of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal began on Sunday," Shakeel Warsi, an advocate representing the mosque side in the Sambhal district court told PTI

Shahi Jama Masjid's president Zafar Ali said, "The whitewashing work started at around 9 am. The whitewashing of the outer wall is going on. At present, 9-10 labourers are engaged in the whitewashing work"

"If the work has to be completed in four days, then around 20 labourers would be needed," he said

When asked what colours will be put on the outer wall of the mosque, Ali said, "We are using the colours which have been used for hundreds of years. We are using white, green and light golden colours"

Sambhal has been tense after riots broke out on November 24 last year following a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, a Mughal-era mosque

Four people were killed and several, including police personnel, were injured in the clashes

While hearing the case of the Sambhal Jama Masjid on March 12, the Allahabad High Court gave permission to whitewash the mosque from the outside and also decorate it with lights without tampering with anything. The next hearing in the case is on April 8