Hoax bomb threat sparks extensive search at Taj Mahal

“An email threatening to blow up the Taj Mahal at a specific time was forwarded to security agencies for immediate action,” said Deepti Vats, deputy director of the state tourism department.

Security agencies conducted an extensive search operation at the Taj Mahal on Tuesday following an email threat claiming the monument would be blown up. The email, sent to the regional Uttar Pradesh tourism department here, triggered immediate action from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Taj Security Police, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The search, lasting over two hours, ultimately revealed no credible threat, marking the incident as another hoax.

Security personnel searching for bomb on Taj Mahal premises after hoax call received. (Sourced)

“An email threatening to blow up the Taj Mahal at a specific time was forwarded to security agencies for immediate action,” said Deepti Vats, deputy director of the state tourism department. While withholding details of the email, she confirmed that all necessary precautions were taken.

The CISF, assisted by bomb disposal and dog squads, combed through every corner of the monument. Visitor bags were meticulously checked, but the site was not evacuated to avoid panic. “Nothing suspicious was found, and the monument remained open for tourists,” stated Prince Vajpayee, senior conservation assistant at ASI, Taj Mahal.

Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Syed Areeb Ahmed added, “The search operation has concluded, but investigations are ongoing to identify the email sender.”

This is not the first time the iconic monument has been targeted by hoax threats. In March 2021, a bomb threat call led to the evacuation of over 1,000 tourists. Security teams later deemed the area safe, and visitors were allowed back. Similarly, in October 2017, another bomb threat, called in via the state’s Dial 100 helpline, proved baseless after a thorough investigation.