LUCKNOW: Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das has tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.
Currently, the 85-year-old Mahant, also the chief of Ramjanmbhoomi Nyas, is in Mathura, the land of Lord Krishna, where he had gone to be a part of Janmashtami celebrations.
Notably, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das had shared the stage with PM Modi, state Governor Anandi Ben Patel, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on the day of Bhoomi Pujan on August 5 as he heads the temple trust. However, for the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony, there were standing orders for all the participants to attend the ceremony only with Covid negative report.
As per the official sources, the condition of the seer deteriorated on Thursday morning in Mathura where he had reached on Tuesday evening. Besides Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das heads Shree Krishna Janmabhoomi Nyas also.
As per Mathura DM Sarvagya Ram Mishra, as the condition of the Mahant was stable, UP CM Yogi Adityanath had directed that district authorities to shift Nritya Gopal Das to Medanta hospital for better treatment.
The official sources claimed that soon after learning about the health of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, CM Yogi spoke to eminent cardiologist Dr. Naresh Trehan of Medanta chain of hospitals and asked the authorities to shift the ailing Mahant to the Medanta hospital in Gurugram.
Mathura DM said the Mahant had developed high fever, breathlessness, and other related problems around 6:30 on Thursday morning. A team of doctors rushed to examine the seer and a rapid antigen test was conducted on him establishing him positive for coronavirus.
"We are making all arrangements to shift Mahant ji to Medanta hospital in Gurugram," said the Mathura DM.
It is pertinent to mention that when the preparations for Bhoomi Pujan ceremony were in full swing, two priests and fur cops deployed in Ramjanmbhoomi premise had tested positive for the virus.