Security was heightened on Thursday at Taj Mahal in Agra following a warning issued by a pro-Islamic State group. The Ahwaal Ummat Media Center had posted a graphic on a channel of Telegram, with the monument’s picture and “new target” mentioned below it, reported IANS. It was posted on March 14.
A security drill was conducted along the Yamuna river near Taj Mahal, while a bomb disposal squad and the Special Weapons And Tactics team were also present there. Authorities said security drills will be conducted every six hours in and around the monument.
The threats come ahead of the Taj Mahotsav festival on Saturday. “We took the threat seriously and immediately increased the security details in and around Taj Mahal,” Daljeet Singh Chaudhary, Additional Director General, Law and Order, Uttar Pradesh, told NDTV. Senior Superintendent of Police Preetinder Singh said that no official alert had been issued in this regard, however, the security drill was conducted following the media reports.
While the Central Industrial Security Force provides security within the Taj Mahal premises, the UP police and the Provincial Armed Constabulary look after the outer posts. More than six million tourists visit the world heritage monument annually.
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