New Delhi: Ahead of the grand 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony in Ayodhya, stones were pelted at a 'sobha yatra' (procession) of Lord Ram in Mehsana district's Kheralu town on Sunday. Gujarat Police fired several rounds of teargas at the crowd to bring the situation under control. As a precautionary measure, police patrolling has been intensified in the area.

Speaking to PTI, Inspector General of Police Virendra Singh Yadav said, "Three shells had to be fired to control the situation. Fifteen people have been rounded up after a combing operation at the site. The police personnel accompanying the shobha yatra took immediate action to avert any (further) incident and brought the situation under control."

(Note: Republic TV can't claim the authenticity of the video)

No major injuries and casualties have been reported in the stone pelting at the time of filing the article.

Pran Pratishtha In Ayodhya

The 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony will begin at 12.20 pm and is expected to end by 1 pm. The prime minister will then address a gathering of more than 7,000 people, including seers and prominent personalities, at the venue. Lakhs of people are expected to watch the event live on TV and online platforms as the BJP-ruled states and Odisha have declared a holiday while the central government has announced a half-day off. As authorities made final preparations in a decked-up Ayodhya, considered the birthplace of Lord Ram, temples across the country and abroad have announced special festivities to mark the occasion.