Agra (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 4 (ANI): A search operation was launched by the Agra Police after it received information about a bomb being placed at the Taj Mahal premises here.
Shiv Ram Yadav, Superintendent of Police Protocol, Agra said a man called the police control room alleging discrepancies in military recruitment and informed about a bomb at the Taj Mahal premises which would explode soon.
“We had received information from the control room that a man called them up saying that there are discrepancies in military recruitment and he wasn’t recruited. A bomb is placed at the Taj Mahal which would explode soon. A security check is being done around Taj Mahal,” Yadav said.
“The CISF has been alerted. The man’s location was traced to Firozabad. Further investigation underway,” he said.
The Taj Mahal has been temporarily shut and security has been beefed up following the incident.
According to Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) sources, “Around 9:30 am local police informed CISF officials about a bomb call at the Taj Mahal. A joint team of CISF and UP police are conducting the anti-sabotage check. Security has been beefed up.”
A Satish Ganesh, Inspector General, Agra Range assured people that there is no need to panic and that it was only a hoax call.
However, he said, the police are following the drill and conducting searches.
“An unknown person dialled 112 and said there will be a bomb blast at the Taj Mahal. On this information, police teams and bomb disposal squad launched a search operation. The field units have not received any such thing. The person who made the call is being traced,” Ganesh said.
“I want to assure you 99 per cent this is a hoax call but we are following the drill. CISF officers informed me that Taj Mahal will reopen for tourists in half an hour and there is no need to panic,” he added. (ANI)

Agra (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 4 (ANI): A search operation was launched by the Agra Police after it received information about a bomb being placed at the Taj Mahal premises here.
Shiv Ram Yadav, Superintendent of Police Protocol, Agra said a man called the police control room alleging discrepancies in military recruitment and informed about a bomb at the Taj Mahal premises which would explode soon.
“We had received information from the control room that a man called them up saying that there are discrepancies in military recruitment and he wasn’t recruited. A bomb is placed at the Taj Mahal which would explode soon. A security check is being done around Taj Mahal,” Yadav said.
“The CISF has been alerted. The man’s location was traced to Firozabad. Further investigation underway,” he said.
The Taj Mahal has been temporarily shut and security has been beefed up following the incident.
According to Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) sources, “Around 9:30 am local police informed CISF officials about a bomb call at the Taj Mahal. A joint team of CISF and UP police are conducting the anti-sabotage check. Security has been beefed up.”
A Satish Ganesh, Inspector General, Agra Range assured people that there is no need to panic and that it was only a hoax call.
However, he said, the police are following the drill and conducting searches.
“An unknown person dialled 112 and said there will be a bomb blast at the Taj Mahal. On this information, police teams and bomb disposal squad launched a search operation. The field units have not received any such thing. The person who made the call is being traced,” Ganesh said.
“I want to assure you 99 per cent this is a hoax call but we are following the drill. CISF officers informed me that Taj Mahal will reopen for tourists in half an hour and there is no need to panic,” he added. (ANI)

West Singhbhum (Jharkhand) [India], March 4 (ANI): Two jawans of the Jharkhand Jaguar (JJ) unit lost their lives and three others sustained injuries in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast planted by Naxals in the Jharjhara area of Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district on Thursday, Jharkhand Police said.
“Today at about 8:45 am, a pressure IED blast took place in the forest area of Hoyahatu village in West Singhbhum, Jharkhand,” CRPF said in its statement.
“Two jawans of Jharkhand Jaguar of State Police reportedly lost their lives while 2 received critical injuries. One jawan of 197 Battalion CRPF got injured,” it added.
Jharkhand Police also informed that the incident happened in the forest area of village Hoyahatu, under Toklo police station.
Police said that it has launched a massive search operation after the blast.
“The incident happened around 8:45 am when police teams consisting of CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) and Jaguar Assault team were to replace a temporary camp,” said Jharkhand Police.
Jharkhand Jaguar (JJ) was formed for the eradication of extremist activities in Jharkhand. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 4 (ANI): Thursday’s editions of various Urdu publications gave prominent coverage to the Income Tax department’s raids at the residences and offices of film director Anurag Kashyap and actor Taapsee Pannu in Mumbai.
The publications also reported about the COVID-19 vaccination drive across the country, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s remarks in the Assembly and the results of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) bypolls in five wards.
Inquilab: The newspaper led with the Income Tax department raids at the offices and residences of Kashyap and Pannu. It reported that both of them were interrogated in connection with alleged tax evasion.
The newspaper also highlighted the Supreme Court’s refusal to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah, seeking a direction to prosecute him for allegedly making a statement on scrapping of Article 370.
The newspaper also reported Maharashtra chief minister Udhav Thackeray’s dig at the Centre over changing the Motera stadium’s name to Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad, and his statement that his party does not need to learn Hindutva from BJP.
Inquilab also published a report in which it said that over 3,000 girls of ‘Khatoon volunteers’ have written an open letter demanding the resignation of Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde for asking a rapist to marry his schoolgoing victim.
Rashtriya Sahara: The newspaper led with the news of MCD bypoll results in which Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won four seats, Congress won one and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) drew a blank.
The newspaper also highlighted the COVID-19 vaccination drive. A report in the newspaper said that over 50 lakh people registered in the last 24 hours on CoWIN portal. It also said that over 1.56 crore people have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Rashtriya Sahara also reported PM Modi’s address at a webinar on the implementation of Union Budget 2021 in the education sector in which he stressed the need to reform the sector by including skill development, research and innovation for a ‘self-reliant India’. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 4 (ANI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday took a dig at the Centre over the IT raids at properties of film director Anurag Kashyap and actor Taapsee Pannu, saying the Central government is targetting those who have been raising their voice in support of the farmers’ protest.
“Some Idioms: ‘Ungaliyon par nachaana’ – Central government does this with IT Dept-ED-CBI. ‘Bheegee billee banana’ – friendly media in front of the central government. ‘khisiyaanee billee khamba noche’ – like the central government makes a raid on the supporters of the farmer. #ModiRaidsProFarmers,” Gandhi said in a tweet.
The raids, which started on Wednesday, continued on Thursday as well with the income tax department carrying out searches at the commerce centre of KWAN Talent Management Agency in Mumbai.
On Wednesday, Income Tax officials conducted raids at the properties of Anurag, Taapsee and film producer Vikas Bahl while carrying out searches at their offices and residences.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has also slammed the Centre over the raids, terming it as a “political vendetta”.
“BJP misuses institutions like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), and IT Department for political benefits. It is a political vendetta. There is a dictator who does not want to listen to voices against him. He destroyed all institutions,” Yadav had told ANI.
Both Taapsee and Anurag have been vocal supporters of farmers’ agitation who have been protesting since November 26 last year against the three contentious farm laws.
Farmers are protesting against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 at Delhi’s borders. However, the implementation of the three laws was in January put on hold by the Supreme Court.
(ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 4 (ANI): Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday was administered his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Delhi government-run LNJP hospital here.
52-year-old Kejriwal has been receiving treatment for diabetes for the last 10 years, hence he is eligible for inoculation under the ongoing phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive.
His parents, who reached the hospital, were also vaccinated.
Speaking after getting the vaccine shot, Kejriwal said: “My parents and I have taken a jab of COVID-19 vaccine at LNJP hospital. We took Covishield. We don’t have any problems (after vaccination) and are in good health. I appeal to those who are eligible for vaccination to come forward to take the vaccine. There are good facilities at LNJP hospital. There is no need to fear. Doubts in people’s mind (about vaccine) no longer exist.”
“We are in touch with the Central government. If needed, we will increase vaccination centres,” he added.
The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16, 2021, and the vaccination of the Frontline Workers (FLWs) started on February 2. The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan have already been vaccinated against COVID-19.
As per the Health Ministry, a total of 1,66,16,048 vaccine doses have been given to the beneficiaries in the country against COVID-19 till today.
Meanwhile, as many as 17,407 new COVID-19 cases and 89 deaths were reported from India in the last 24 hours. (ANI)