Lucknow, August 26 (DHNS) :  A massive crackdown by the Uttar Pradesh government foiled the “84 kosi parikrama” or the 300-km yatra around the temple town of Ayodhya on Sunday.

Police arrested hundreds of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) workers and top leaders. VHP president Ashok Singhal was detained at Lucknow airport even as he was trying to proceed towards Ayodhya after arriving here from Delhi. VHP general secretary Praveen Togadia was arrested in Ayodhya, according to official sources here.

Togadia tried to hold a prayer on the banks of the Sarayu when he was arrested. A few sadhus, however, managed to offer prayers.

Togadia decried his arrest and declared that the VHP will hold nationwide demonstrations on Monday to register its protest against the ban on the yatra.

He also said that a movement for the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya would soon be launched throughout the country.

The temple town has turned into a fortress with heavy deployment of security personnel making it impossible for the VHP leaders to undertake the “parikrama”.

In a face-saving exercise, sadhus associated with the VHP undertook a symbolic
yatra in Ayodhya. Ramjanmabhoomi Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, who came out of his ashram along with some seers to undertake the yatra, was detained after he took a few steps.

Massive security arrangements had been made in Ayodhya, its adjoining districts and other parts of the state to prevent the entry of VHP workers, leaders and seers from different parts of the country.

Thousands of police personnel, including the Rapid Action Force, had been deployed in Ayodhya. The temple town wore a deserted look as shops and business establishments remained closed and people preferred to remain indoors.

 The police said over 500 VHP workers were taken into custody from different parts of the state on Sunday to thwart their attempt to reach Ayodhya.Additional Director-General of Police (law and order) Arun Kumar was camping in Ayodhya to monitor the situation, official sources here said.  Raids were conducted at several places to arrest VHP leaders.

Section 144 had been imposed on Faizabad and its adjoining districts of Gonda, Ambedkar Nagar and Basti, officials said.

The state government had banned the yatra saying that it was in violation of the apex court order for maintaining the status quo at the disputed site and posed a threat to the law and order situation.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had also dismissed a petition challenging