Ayodhya:

Police intercepted a drone camera flying over the Ram temple route here during a trial of an anti-drone system on Tuesday and shot it down, officials said.

Police lodged an FIR stating that it was a deep conspiracy to create chaos at the Ram temple that might kill devotees in large number.

However, police refused to give further details saying a probe is on in the case.

According to sources, the conspirator has been identified and he is from Gurugram, Haryana.

Earlier, officials said a bomb disposal squad conducted a thorough examination of the drone camera and confirmed that there was no security threat. The case has been registered at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station.

The authorities in Ayodhya have activated the anti-drone security mechanism. Flying drones over the Ram temple is strictly prohibited.

“This system can detect any drone within a 2.5-kilometre radius. During the drill, security forces intercepted a drone camera hovering over the Ram Janmabhoomi temple route,” a police official said.

Police have launched an investigation to trace the drone operator, with intelligence agencies maintaining strict vigilance.

Earlier this year, a senior officer in Lucknow told PTI that the Uttar Pradesh Police had used the high-tech and sophistication anti-drone system for the first time during the consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol at the Ram temple here on January 22, 2024.

The same anti-drone technology has been used for aerial cover at the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj and only a few states like Gujarat in the country have till date used it, the officer had said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

In January, during the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, 300 kilograms of ‘prasad’ from the Tirupati temple was distributed to devotees, confirmed Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the temple. This revelation comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding the alleged use of animal fat in ghee in the preparation of laddoos at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati, managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

“If animal fat was mixed in the ‘prasad’, it is unforgivable. Strict action should be taken against those responsible,” Mr Das said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

The TTD revealed that the lab report confirmed the presence of lard and other impurities in ghee used by a contractor. An official stated that the contractor responsible for supplying adulterated ghee had been blacklisted and legal proceedings were initiated.

The row began when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu first raised concerns about the quality of the ‘prasad’, alleging that animal fat was used during the tenure of the previous YSRCP government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Mr Naidu accused the YSRCP regime of purchasing substandard ghee at cheaper rates, which compromised the sacredness of the Tirupati laddoos.

In response, former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy dismissed these allegations as “diversion politics” and a “concocted story” aimed at shifting focus from the current government’s failures.

The issue intensified after lab reports, commissioned by the TDP, backed Mr Naidu’s claims. According to these reports, the ghee samples tested showed traces of animal fats, including beef tallow, lard, and fish oil. The temple management confirmed that four separate tests revealed similar results, prompting immediate action to halt supplies from the blacklisted contractor.

Mr Naidu, in a public address, announced that new suppliers of pure cow ghee, including the Nandini brand from Karnataka, have been engaged to restore the sacredness of the laddoos. The former chief priest of the Tirupati temple, Ramana Deekshitulu, also expressed concerns over the issue, stating that he had previously raised the matter with the TTD management to no avail.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi have both called for investigations and have sought reports from the Andhra Pradesh government. The TTD has assured devotees that the purity of the laddoos has now been restored, and steps have been taken to ensure that only the highest quality ingredients are used going forward.

Ayodhya:

The construction of the entire Ram Temple complex in Ayodhya is likely to be completed by March 2025, while the first and second floors of the temple will be completed by July-end and December this year, respectively. This information was given by Nripendra Mishra, Chairman of the Ram Mandir Construction Committee.

“Construction of the first floor of the temple will be completed by the end of next month. Thereafter, work will begin for the second floor,” Nripendra Mishra told reporters.

“We have set a target to complete the second floor by the end of December this year and the entire temple complex by March next year,” he added.

The statues to be installed at the temple will be carved out of Makrana marble from Rajasthan and the trust has floated a tender to select four sculptors for the job.

More than 1.75 crore devotees have visited the Ram Mandir till date, after its opening on January 22 this year.

“On average, one lakh devotees visit the temple every day. Since its opening, around 1.75 crore devotees have visited the temple. This figure will reach two crore by the end of this month,” said Nripendra Mishra.

He added that the work on the Ram Katha Museum was starting now and a concept note had been made for it.

The galleries for the displays would be built according to requirement with arrangements for power and air conditioning.

He added, “Our tourism department has made films on Ram Katha. We will try to open the digital gallery for devotees by July 15 or latest by August 15.”

“With the help of the Union government a film on the life of Lord Hanuman will be made in 7D in a gallery. The work for this will be completed in the next five to six months,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)