Uttar Pradesh’s Agra police detained Iranian tourists on Sunday, November 3 after they allegedly offered namaz (praying) near the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal, reportedly a temple, leading to protests from Hindu community members.
The incident escalated when the local individuals noticed the Iranian couple offering namaz inside the temple situated near the iconic monument and heckled them. The furious group objected and created a chaotic scene. Some individuals harassed the couple and checked their passports, questioning their “motives” for praying in such a public space.
In defence, the tourists explained that they were searching for a place to pray, but they could not find one in that area. Upon finding a “clean place” where nobody was around, so they decided to pray there. However, their actions provoked aggression from some Hindu members who attacked and chased them, prompting police to intervene.
In the video, the couple is heard saying that they did not intend to offend anyone and were simply seeking a clean place for their prayer, which was mandatory according to them. They apologised for any inconvenience, stating that they never intended to instigate anybody to pray in the wrong way or cause disappointment to anybody.
The police urged for peace and religious harmony and stated that the tourist’s video apology reflected their intentions, indicating that they did not mean to offend anyone. While assuring appropriate investigation, the officials said that they are reviewing the case whether any temple rules were violated during the incident.
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