Police arrested two youths from the Taj Mahal premises on Saturday after they were seen pouring water from a bottle there. A local right-wing Hindu outfit claimed that the two were its members and had offered holy 'Gangajal' as they believe the monument is a Hindu temple.
Suraj Kumar Rai, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Agra City), said the two youths were arrested following a written complaint by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel posted inside the Taj Mahal.
"The youths entered the premises as tourists. The complaint said that the youths were seen pouring water inside the Taj Mahal premises," he told reporters.
They have been arrested after the incident and a case has been filed at the Tajganj Police Station, Rai said.
The case has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 223 (disobedience to order promulgated by public servant), 298 (injuring or defiling place of worship), and 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), the police said, adding the matter is being investigated in detail.
A purported video of the incident also appeared on social media.
A local Hindu organisation Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) has claimed that youths are its members and the two offered water of the holy Ganges on the premises as it is a Hindu temple, 'Tejo Mahalay'.
The incident comes just days after a member of the group carrying Kanwar on her shoulders tried to enter the Taj Mahal to offer Gangajal.
However, she was stopped by the policemen deployed at the barrier of the west gate of the Taj Mahal.
In a purported video of the Saturday incident, a youth is seen pouring water on the floor above the locked basement where the graves of Mughal emperor Shahjahan and his wife Mumtaz are located.
Sanjay Jaat, a spokesperson of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM), said the two arrested youths — Vinesh Chaudhary and Shyam — are its members.
"They entered the Taj Mahal. One of them offered 'Gangajal' inside the premises of the Taj Mahal which was a Hindu temple of Lord Shiva. We are proud of it and will keep doing it," he said.
