Image Courtesy:ndtv.com
There is no respite from Covid-19, even on holy ground in Ayodhya. According to NDTV, 14 police personnel and one priest who were on duty at the site of the upcoming Ram Temple have now tested positive for the coronavirus.
The infected priest has been identified as Pradeep Das, an assistant to the chief priest Satyendra Das. Last Saturday, he was seen in close proximity of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who was visiting the facility to take stock of the preparations.
Four other priests including the chief priest have tested negative. Of the 14 policemen who tested positive four were reportedly on permanent duty inside the premises while the others took turns.
On August 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to participate in a religious ceremony with 50 other VIP dignitaries in attendance. A total of 200 people including security personnel, priests, guests and locals are expected to be in attendance. At present the program is expected to go on as per schedule.
According to figures quoted by NDTV, Ayodhya has 375 active cases of Covid-19, while the state of UP has 29,997 cases.
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