Officials of the Chandausi municipality in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh said on Saturday that nearby encroachments will be cleared in order to trace out an ancient stepwell.

Saturday marked the eighth day of the excavation, Krishna Kumar Sonkar, the executive officer of the Chandausi municipality, told reporters.

"Till Friday, we kept on digging the stairs and the sides, but a well has been found on the road premises, exactly at the centre. It seems that the structure is all around this well," he said.

Sonkar also said the buildings built nearby, which have encroached upon the structure, will be vacated as it is an archaeological relic and no one has been given the right to encroach upon an archaeological relic or carry out construction activities over it.

"After finding such a structure that has archaeological importance, it will be cleared from all sides. If the excavation is done using a tractor or JCB machine, it might get damaged. Therefore, by employing manual labour, the debris is being taken out using shovels and spades, which is why it is taking time. The Archaeological Survey of India is constantly studying the area and the excavation is being done under its guidance," he said.

Sambhal witnessed violence last month over a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque in the district, leaving four people dead.

Violence broke out after protesters clashed with security personnel during the survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. The protesters torched vehicles and pelted stones at police, who used tear gas and batons to disperse the mob. Around 20 security personnel were injured in the clash, officials had said.

Several people were detained in connection with the violence.

Tension was brewing in Sambhal since the mosque was surveyed on the orders of a local court following a petition that claimed that a Harihar temple stood at the site previously.

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