Anxiety grips Ayodhya ahead of Supreme Court verdict

Sudden anxiety gripped the temple town on Friday night as the news that the Supreme Court will deliver its verdict in the communally sensitive Ayodhya land dispute case on Saturday began to trickle in.

Policemen near the Hanumangarhi temple and Shriraam Chikitsalaya, a government hospital, intensified the checking of vehicles.

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PAC jawans too stepped up vigil around the temple area.

Residents were seen engrossed in animated discussions on the possible verdict Saturday morning. Some said the situation was almost similar to the Diwali rush but filled with anxiety.

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By late evening, most of the shops in the vicinity of Hanumangarhi temple had already been closed. Ram Kumar, who was about to close his grocery shop, decided instead to keep it open for some more time so that his customers could make last-minute purchases.

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Kishan Kumar who runs a prasad shop said that he is likely to keep his shop open.

Some people who had planned trips over the weekend were rescheduling their journey.

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Rita Banerjee, who had plans of visiting Lucknow, said she was now not sure about the trip.

People prayed at the Hanumangarhi temple, hoping for peace and calm.

All leaves of police personnel in the town have been cancelled.