Special troops and police are guarding the Taj Mahal following a threat from Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed to blow up the monument along with other important structures in the country.
Crack army and police units had been moved in to the Taj area following interception of a message from JEM that the monument would be blow up on March 23 along with the Qutub Minar, India Gate, Charminar and some other monuments, V K Sharma, Commissioner of Agra division, Archaeological Survey of India, told reporters here on Sunday.
On receipt of the message, the contingency plan for the protection of the monument was put into operation.
Tourists and other visitors were searched and the whole area combed for suspicious objects. Nothing incriminating was found, Sharma said.
The troops, which are part of the contingency plan, would be deployed till tonight if nothing abnormal is seen, he said.
The contingency plan for the protection of the Taj had been drawn up by the state government following a directive from the Supreme Court to protect the monument of love.
The plan provides for deployment of troops and civil police equipped with adequate arms and gadgets. Bureau Report