📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Yann; edited by King of Hearts
Crime
Case filed after videos show puja and aarti conducted inside Taj Mahal grounds
✍️ India Today
🗓 19 Aug 2026, 12:38 PM
👁 3
Police have registered a case after viral footage revealed a puja and aarti being performed within the Taj Mahal complex, violating heritage protection rules.
A video that quickly went viral on social media showed a group performing a puja and aarti inside the premises of the Taj Mahal in Agra. The footage, captured by a passerby, depicts religious rites being conducted near the marble monument, prompting widespread public attention.
Following the circulation of the clip, the Uttar Pradesh police opened an investigation and formally registered a case against the individuals involved. The FIR cites violation of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, which prohibits any religious activity within protected heritage zones.
The Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is governed by strict regulations that forbid worship, ceremonies or any commercial use that could damage its structural integrity or sanctity. Authorities have previously warned against such practices, emphasizing the need to preserve the monument for future generations.
Law enforcement officials have stated that they will pursue legal action in accordance with the heritage protection statutes, and they have urged the public to refrain from sharing or replicating similar activities at the site.
Following the circulation of the clip, the Uttar Pradesh police opened an investigation and formally registered a case against the individuals involved. The FIR cites violation of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, which prohibits any religious activity within protected heritage zones.
The Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is governed by strict regulations that forbid worship, ceremonies or any commercial use that could damage its structural integrity or sanctity. Authorities have previously warned against such practices, emphasizing the need to preserve the monument for future generations.
Law enforcement officials have stated that they will pursue legal action in accordance with the heritage protection statutes, and they have urged the public to refrain from sharing or replicating similar activities at the site.