The head of Ram Temple Trust Nritya Gopal Das, 82, tested positive for Covid-19 a week after the groundbreaking Bhumi pujan ceremony in Ayodhya. He shared the stage with Prime Minister Modi and several other VIPs during the event.

The Ram Mandir ceremony was held on August 5 and was attended by 175 guests including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat and few others. Covid-19 safety protocols and social distancing norms were followed apart from heavy security arrangements.

Nritya Gopal Das is currently in Mathura undergoing treatment and will soon be shifted to Medanta Hospital under the direction of CM Yogi Adityanath.

"We were informed that Maharaj-ji has some fever, so we sent a team of doctors and they investigated and gave medicines. The fever is normal. He has mild breathlessness and we checked his oxygen level. It is saturated. There is nothing serious. We checked for coronavirus, did antigen test and there is positivity," said Sarvagya Ram Mishra, District Magistrate of Mathura.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra is a trust set up for the construction and management of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Nritya Gopal Das has been heading the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas since 2003 and is at the forefront of the movement.

Days before the ceremony, a priest named Pradeep Das and 14 policemen in the mandir premises had also tested positive for coronavirus.