Ayodhya Ram Temple priest, 4 cops test COVID-19 positive ahead of 'bhumi pujan' ceremony

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AYODHYA: At least eight people including four police personnel and assistant priest have been tested positive in Ayodhya district ahead of the bhumi poojan of the Ram Temple scheduled to be held on August 5, said Anuj Kr Jha, Ayodhya District Magistrate.

"COVID tests are being done again and again in entire Ayodhya district and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi. One person had returned from Maharajganj after a leave and had tested positive. So, all his colleagues were tested on July 7 and one of them turned out to be positive," said Jha. 

"On 13th July, 98 tests were done and another person tested positive. Yesterday antigen tests of 100 people were done and four police personnel and an assistant priest tested positive. He is in isolation. It is our responsibility to ensure that the upcoming programme is COVID free," he added. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 5, according to Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the president of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust.

The construction of Ram temple will begin in Ayodhya after the ceremony to lay the foundation stone (bhoomi pujan) in which CMs of many states, ministers from the union cabinet and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat are also likely to participate.

The Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, set up in accordance with the Supreme Court verdict, held its second meeting earlier this month. 

In March this year, the 'Ram Lalla' idol was shifted to a temporary structure.

The apex court, on November 9, 2019, had directed the central government to hand over the site at Ayodhya for the construction of a Ram temple.