Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays Ayodhya temple foundation

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled a plaque on Wednesday to kick off the construction of a Hindu temple in the northern city of Ayodhya.

It follows a Supreme Court verdict late last year that handed the site to the Hindu community in exchange for a plot given to the Muslim community, ending years of litigation.

This will be Modi's first visit to the site since becoming prime minister in 2014.

Numerous security officials guarded Ayodhya, with social distancing measures limiting the number of people at the main event site to 200.