Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the chairperson of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Das will be shifted to a private hospital in Gurugram on Thursday, 13 August, after he tested positive for COVID-19.
According to ABP News, Das, 82, will be shifted from Mathura, where he had developed breathing problems on Thursday. He had arrived there to partake in Janmashtami celebrations and will now be moved to the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram.
The news of the priest testing positive comes a week after he attended the foundation-laying ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, which was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, and UP Governor Anandiben Patel, among other people.
At the ceremony, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das had shared the main stage with PM Modi and the three other dignitaries mentioned above.
Mahant Has Mild Breathlessness: Mathura DM
Confirming that Das has tested for COVID-19, Sarvagya Ram Mishra, District Magistrate of Mathura, told NDTV, "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."
DM Mishra further added that CM Yogi Adityanath has asked for Mahant Nritya Gopal Das to be shifted to Mathura and that all possible arrangements are being made to do so at the earliest.
CM Yogi Inquires About Mahant’s Health
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has enquired about the health of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, while requesting Dr Trehan of Medanta Hospitals for immediate medical attention.
"CM (Yogi Adityanath) has taken details of the health status of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das who has tested positive for COVID-19. He has spoken to DM Mathura and to Dr Trehan of Medanta and requested for immediate medical attention," the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a statement.
(This is a developing story. More details awaited.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)