Police arrest four for waving saffron flags within premises of Taj Mahal after video goes viral

On Monday, the police arrested four members of a Hindutva group after a video of them waving a flag on the premises of the Taj Mahal in Agra went viral, according to several media reports. The viral video, which has not been independently verified by Firstpost, purportedly shows three men unfurling and waving the saffron flags within the Taj Mahal complex as a fourth person records them. Here’s the viral video, as per TOI:

#Agra: Activists of Hindu Jagran Manch on Monday hoisted saffron flags within the premises of #TajMahal, leading to the arrest of four persons including the outfit’s youth wing district president. pic.twitter.com/F3OFGDQG3e

— TOI Agra (@TOIAgra) January 4, 2021

  Inspector Umesh Chandra Tripathi, Tajganj Police Station, told PTI three people waved flags at the Taj Mahal complex under the leadership of right-wing leader Gaurav Thakur. Police have registered a case against them, he added.   The men are from an organisation called the Hindu Jagran Manch and Thakur is the district president of their youth wing, as per  The Quint.   As per  The Times of India, CISF personnel deployed at the historic building apprehended them after which they were handed over to police. Speaking to TOI, CISF Commandant (Taj Mahal), Rahul Yadav said that the men were involved in similar incidents last year as well. “Our security personnel use metal detectors for frisking visitors but small pieces of clothes can’t be detected,” he added. “Selfie sticks are allowed and they used it for hoisting these cloth flags.” On the CISF’s complaint, a case was filed against them under Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act. With inputs from PTI