‘Zero civic sense’: Viral video shows tourists ‘vandalising’ Humayun’s Tomb; officials react | Delhi News
NEW DELHI: A video showing a group of visitors allegedly vandalising Humayun’s Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, went viral on social media, sparking outrage and renewed concerns over the security of such monuments. The clipping, titled ‘Zero Civic Sense’, was viewed on X close to 2.3 lakh times till the evening and retweeted by more than 1,000 people. It shows a young man, sitting on another’s shoulders, scribbling on the wall and two women filming the act on their phones.The video triggered angry reactions online. One user commented, “Shameful! If you can’t respect our heritage, at least don’t destroy it. Monuments deserve preservation, not your cheap graffiti.” Others suggested stronger deterrents, including recording visitors’ details at the entrance, installing facial recognition-enabled CCTV cameras across heritage sites and imposing heavy fines.Archaeological Survey of India officials said initial checks confirmed that parts of the footage were from Humayun’s Tomb, but some shots seemed to be from other sites. “The spot shown in the video does have scratched graffiti, but no fresh writing with pen or marker was found when our staff inspected it,” an official said.Officials admitted that the date of the video couldn’t be confirmed, making it difficult to fix responsibility or identify the staff on duty. “Field staff have been instructed to ensure such acts are not repeated,” the official added.ASI acknowledged that vandalism at monuments remains a recurring problem. “Whenever such incidents are confirmed, police complaints are filed and staff action is taken. Guards at Humayun’s Tomb were reshuffled last month, and sensitisation of staff and security personnel is planned in the coming week,” an official said.
