Roads Leading To Ayodhya Ram Mandir Plunge Into Darkness As Streetlights Get Stolen

A controversy has erupted over lights allegedly stolen from prominent places in Ayodhya after the contractor responsible for installing them alleged that around 3,800 bamboo lights and 36 ‘gobo projector’ lights placed at Ram Path and Bhakti Path were missing. While refuting reports that lights worth ₹50 lakh had been stolen, the Commissioner of Ayodhya, Gaurav Dayal, said the matter was being investigated.

Shekhar Sharma, the contractor charged with installing the lights by the Ayodhya Development Authority for the new Ram Mandir’s consecration ceremony on January 22 this year, filed the complaint via the Uttar Pradesh Police app. The complaint says the lights went missing in May. Mr. Sharma claims that his firm had installed 6,400 bamboo lights and 96 gobo projector lights on both sides of Ram Path and Bhakti Path, but he had found over half of them missing during an inspection.

The complainant also claimed that all the lights had been in place till March 19.

Ashutosh Mishra, Circle Officer, Ayodhya told The Hindu that a person had filed a complaint of missing lights on the police e-app, and the allegations of theft were being investigated. “He (the complainant) has not quoted any amount for the lights that are allegedly missing,” Mr. Mishra said.