Ayodhya:16 cops and priest at the site of Ram Temple groundbreaking ceremony test Covid +ve

Pradeep Das, the assistant to the chief priest, and 16 policemen engaged in the security duty at the Ram Janmabhoomi complex, have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the Temple Trust said, reported NDTV.

However, the programme will be held on as scheduled, maintaining social distancing and all other Covid protocols. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the groundbreaking ceremony along with 50 other VIPs, said the report.

Around 200 people will attend the ceremony, including priests, guests, security personnel, locals, the Temple Trust said, added the report.

Ayodhya has 375 cases of coronavirus and Uttar Pradesh has 29,997 cases so far.

Huge preparations are underway for the August 5 groundbreaking ceremony. A helipad has been made 3 km from the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple site where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive. Approach roads to the temple have been widened and graffiti paintings depicting Lord Ram's life have been put up along roads, the NDTV reported.

Giant CCTV screens have been erected across Ayodhya so that devotees can watch the ceremony live, the Temple Trust said, the report added.

All BJP leaders, who have been associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, including veterans like Lal Krishna Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi and senior leaders like Uma Bharti, Vinay Katiyar and Sadhvi Ritambhara, have been invited, informed the report.

Senior leaders of RSS and its chief Mohan Bhagawat are also expected to attend the ceremony, said the report.