NEW DELHI (XINHUA) - The authorities in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday (March 4) temporarily shut the country's iconic tourist spot Taj Mahal following a bomb scare, local media reports said.

Tourists were asked to leave the premises following the scare. "Over 1,000 tourists at the Taj Mahal were asked to vacate the premises on Thursday after authorities received a bomb threat from an unidentified caller," a local media report said.

The bomb scare triggered chaos at the destination in Agra and the authorities had rushed police teams to the spot.

The ivory-white marble mausoleum, built in 1653 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, is the biggest draw for tourists in India.

This story is developing.