Around 1,000 tourists were at the Taj Mahal on Thursday when the authorities received a bomb threat.

Over 1,000 tourists at the Taj Mahal were asked to leav the premises on Thursday after authorities received a bomb threat which later proved to be a hoax call. No explosive was found, ADG Agra Zone Rajeev Krishna said.

The threat call, which was received in the morning hours, sent authorities into a tizzy. A bomb disposal squad rushed to the spot and checking began. The western and the eastern gates of the monument were immediately closed and the tourists were asked to move out.

"We have received information from the control room that a man called them up saying that a bomb is kept at the Taj Mahal which will explode soon. The security check is being done around Taj Mahal," Shiv Ram Yadav, SP (Protocol) Agra said, adding that the man also said that the unidentified man claimed that he was discriminated in military recruitment.

The CISF has been alerted, Agra SP said.

Search is going on. Agra Police have also disclosed the number from where the call came. The caller has been identified and the call has been traced to Firozabad.

"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," Agra IG A Satish Ganesh said.

"There are 99 per cent chances that this is a hoax call. But we are following the drill. According to CISF inputs, we will be able to reopen the monument for tourists in another hour. There is no need to panic," the IG added.

By hindustantimes.com

UPDATED ON MAR 04, 2021 11:31 AM IST