The site of the historical monument Taj Mahal in Agra was evacuated around 10:30 AM (IST) on Thursday after the Agra Police received a phone call from an unidentified man claiming that there was a bomb installed at the site.
IGA Satish Ganesh, Agra’s Inspector-General had said, “the call came on UP 112. He said there is a bomb planted at the premises of the Taj Mahal. Immediately, we pressed our teams into action. No explosive has been found yet. We are also trying to trace the caller.”
Inspector-General Ganesh had correctly predicted that the call was a hoax as no bomb was discovered at the site and it was highly improbable a bomb could have been sneaked on to the site with the tight security measures that are in place at the Taj Mahal.
The Agra Police on its official Twitter handle released a public statement on the issue after no bomb was found by the team that had been sent on the spot.
@agrapolice .
उक्त सूचना के सम्बंध में ताजमहल परिसर व आस-पास के क्षेत्र में चैकिंग कर ली गयी है, स्थिती सामान्य पाई गयी है, पर्यटकों के लिये ताजमहल पूर्व की भांति खोल दिया गया है। इस सम्बंध में #sspagra @IpsBablooKumar द्वारा दी गयी बाईट।@Uppolice
@adgzoneagra pic.twitter.com/iZQ9kyqFLr— AGRA POLICE (@agrapolice) March 4, 2021
After the call was received, the Eastern and Western gates of the monument were closed as soon as the tourists were evacuated from the site and bomb-disposal teams were brought to the scene. After less than an hour of being closed, the site was declared clear and the gates opened again at 11:15 AM.
