Eight individuals, including former temple staff, were remanded into custody for 14 days on Monday following allegations of embezzling funds from the newly inaugurated Ram temple in Ayodhya. According to reports from the news agency ANI, police recovered approximately Rs7.98 million ($85,000) during the arrests made last week. The incident has caused significant political friction, as the temple serves as a cornerstone project for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration, which championed its construction. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has publicly condemned the alleged theft, vowing that those responsible will face strict legal consequences.

The temple occupies a site that has been at the center of intense national debate for decades. For years, the land was the subject of a bitter dispute between Hindu groups, who believe it to be the birthplace of Lord Ram, and those mourning the destruction of the 16th-century Babri Masjid, which once stood there. The demolition of the mosque in 1992 by a Hindu mob resulted in widespread communal violence that claimed 2,000 lives. Following a lengthy legal battle, the Indian Supreme Court ultimately ruled in 2019 that the land should be handed over to Hindu groups for the construction of the current monument, which was officially consecrated by Prime Minister Modi earlier this year.