Labourer ‘nails’ Taj security claim

An overbearing Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and a much-concerned Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) could not deter an illiterate labourer from compromising the security of the Taj on Eid. ASI doesn’t feel it’s anything to worry about, while CISF refused comment.

The worker from a tent house hammered nails into the outer western wall of the world-famous monument to put up a shamiana. Nails were also driven into a wall of the Fatehpuri Masjid across the passage to hold up the shamiana.

The four-inch-long nails were hurriedly removed after a news channel carried a report, but left gaping holes in the wall.

Munnawar Ali, organiser of the special Eid namaz at the site, however, denied the charges. “No nails were hammered into the walls… it’s a traditional event conducted every year,” he told reporters.

“This is not a big thing… security has not been compromised in any way,” AR Siddiqui, ASI superintendent at the Taj, said.

He said it was wrong to hammer nails into the wall but the accused labourer was illiterate and would not know of the Supreme Court order on protection of the monument.
The labourer was detained for questioning but later released. The Taj boasts of foolproof security with at least 500 CISF men on duty at any given time.