By IANS
Agra : Tourists thronged the Taj Mahal Thursday but in fewer numbers a day after violence here left five dead. Tensions prevailed in parts of Agra even as the city slowly limped back to normalcy.
All the three gates of the imposing Taj were thrown open early Thursday to tourists, said Munazzar Ali, an official of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) here.
Uttar Pradesh Home Secretary Mahesh Gupta had made it clear late Wednesday that the Taj Mahal would be open as usual Thursday. He said no orders had been given to close the 17th century monument.
But once violence erupted in Agra Wednesday, ASI and security personnel at the monument persuaded tourists to vacate the Taj and return to their hotels.
Amid mob violence on the streets, tourists were asked to stay indoors and authorities imposed curfew in several areas, including those in and around the Taj, effectively sealing it.
The trouble began when a truck ploughed through Muslims celebrating a festival killing four men, sparking mob fury and police firing that left a young man dead and dozens injured in India’s top tourist destination.
There were no reports of untoward incidents Thursday but some areas continued to be under curfew. But with tension still in the air, the number of tourists visiting the Taj dipped.
The road from Sadar Bazar via the VIP road to Shilpgram near the Taj Mahal was open for traffic early Thursday – after being shut Wednesday.
Agra city woke up Thursday overwhelmed by despair.
Newspapers wondered how a small group of young men could hold the city hostage, with all the administrative wings paralysed for several hours.
“The surprising aspect was the involvement of the youth in the violence. Nowhere did we see older or middle aged people taking part in the violence. Urchins and misguided youngsters were at the vanguard,” said Manohar Gidwani, a banker.
A high level inquiry has been ordered by the state government to look into all aspects of Wednesday’s unrest, which hoteliers and tour operators said was sure to hit the tourist traffic hard.
The Taj Mahal is India’s biggest tourist draw and receives thousands of Indian and foreign tourists every day.