The men worshipped Lord Shiva, offered Gangajal, performed aarti and displayed a religious flag while reiterating claims that the Taj Mahal was originally a Shiva temple named ‘Tejo Mahalaya’, according to officials. Agra : Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has lodged a police complaint after a group of unidentified men entered the ASI-protected Mehtab Bagh complex, located north of the Taj Mahal across Yamuna river , and performed religious rituals on the premises.
The incident came to light on Aug 17, when a video went viral showing unidentified individuals bypassing regulations at the protected site, according to the complaint.
Police sources said a preliminary inquiry indicated that up to three people associated with Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha may have been involved in the incident. The incident came to light after videos depicting the ritual began circulating widely across social media platforms. Following a complaint by ASI senior conservation assistant Ankit Namdev, an FIR was registered at Etmadduala police station.
ACP Shweta Verma said authorities suspect the individuals concealed religious material in their pockets to bypass security checks at the entrance. Necessary action will be taken based on the probe report,” ACP Verma said. “An inspector-rank police officer has been directed to probe the matter.
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