Riots in the home of Taj Mahal; Curfew imposed
(Paul Ciniraj, Salem Voice Ministries)
Agra (India), SVM News, August 29, 2007: Police imposed a curfew following rioting that left one person dead and 50 hurt on Wednesday, the 29th of August in Agra, the home town of Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. And Taj Mahal was closed to tourists.
Thousands of tourists are stranded in Agra, 120 miles south of New Delhi, after angry mobs burnt down at least 54 vehicles and few police vans in protest at the death of four Muslims in a traffic accident.
Rev. Sam George, Rev. C.V. John and Rev. Paul Ciniraj
in front of Taj Mahal
The state government of Uttar Pradesh issued an advisory asking tourists to stay in their hotels until order was restored in the city.
"A speeding truck killed four Muslim youth in the Nai Mandi area, who were participating Shab-e-Baraaat, a religious function of Muslims to pray for the dead that falls about two weeks before the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan," Vikram Singh, the Director General of Police said to the Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service.
Around four kilometres from the Taj Mahal, spread the news of the accident quickly and residents spilled onto the streets. The one who killed in violance also was a Muslim.
The Additional District Magistrate was injured in the violence. Several policemen have also been injured and more police forces were being rushed from neighbouring places of Meerut, Hatras and Etawah.
Face of violence in Agra
Police tried to break up the crowd with tear gas and live rounds fired into the air, but were pelted with stones, sticks and bottles. The crowd later set fire to a shoe factory too.
The Nai Mandi neighborhood of Agra is home to both Hindus and Muslims and the two communities have often clashed, but Chamber said the rioting was not sectarian.
All schools and colleges closed for next three days in the city, whose population of 1.6 million people is 20 per cent Muslim.
The white marble Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died while giving birth to their 14th child. It was completed in 1648 after 17 years of construction, involving 20,000 workers.
Almost three million domestic and foreign tourists visit the Taj Mahal annually, more than any other tourist site in India.
SALEM VOICE MINISTRIES NEWS SERVICE (SVM NEWS)
