POST THREAT, TAJ GETS ENHANCED SECURITY COVER

Security has been enhanced at the Taj Mahal in the wake of a media report of a threat to the 17th century monument from pro-ISIS terror outfit. Although the gates of the Taj Mahal remain closed on Friday – the day of weekly closure – there was no scaling down of the security drill. The security team (in pic) led by circle officer for Taj Security included about 35 personnel. They undertook the exercise with special focus on east, west and south entry gates, besides the southern side where river Yamuna flows. Security drills will now take place after every six hours and will be led by a gazetted officer.

Security has been enhanced at the Taj Mahal in the wake of a media report of a threat to the 17th century monument from pro-ISIS terror outfit.

“A link has been circulated in which it is claimed that Taj Mahal is on the target of ISIS. We are probing it. However, security has been enhanced in and around the monument,” said additional director general, law and order, Daljeet Singh Chowdhury.

Although the gates of the Taj Mahal remain closed on Friday – the day of weekly closure – there was no scaling down of the security drills being carried out after media reports claimed that there was threat to the monument from a pro-IS group. On Friday, the security team was led by circle officer for Taj Security and included about 35 personnel. They undertook the exercise with special focus on east, west and south entry gates, besides the southern side where river Yamuna flows.

“Members of SWAT, tourism police and state police were part of security drill undertaken on Friday afternoon. As Taj Mahal was closed on the day, our focus was more on the entry gates and the southern side,” said Prabhat Kumar, circle officer, Taj Security. He, however, maintained that it was a routine security exercise.

Earlier on Thursday, superintendent of police Sushil Ghule, while leading a security drill with a bomb disposal squad, SWAT and Taj security personnel, had also claimed that the exercise was routine - associated with the upcoming 10-day Taj Mahotsav (slated to begin from March 18 at Shilpgram, situated a kilometre away on the eastern side of the monument).

However, later SSP Agra Dr Preetinder Singh confirmed the news. “No security threat has been received nor alert issued officially in this regard but going by media reports, the security at Taj Mahal has been increased. With Taj Mahal being an important destination of not only national but international tourists, we used to conduct routine security drills but for now the frequency of these drills has been increased,” said SSP Agra.

Security drills will now take place after every six hours and will be led by a gazetted officer, he had said. The internal security of Taj Mahal, the biggest draw for foreign and domestic tourists, is provided by the CSIF, a central para-military force entrusted with the task of protecting industrial units, airports, metro rail and other sensitive places.

THE SECURITY TEAM UNDERTOOK THE EXERCISE WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON EAST, WEST AND SOUTH ENTRY GATES