Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir, passed away at the age of 83 at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) in Lucknow on Wednesday. The hospital confirmed his demise.

On February 3, Acharya Satyendra Das was admitted to SGPGI after suffering a stroke. Initially, he was receiving treatment at a private hospital in Ayodhya, but was later shifted to SGPGI for advanced medical care.

The chief priest had been undergoing treatment for high blood pressure and diabetes and was in the Neurology ward HDU before his passing.

According to his disciple Pradeep Das, Acharya Satyendra Das’s last rites will be performed on the banks of the Saryu River in Ayodhya. His body is currently being transported from Lucknow to Ayodhya for the final rituals.