One of the minarets of India's world famous monument Taj Mahal is reportedly damaged. While reports suggest that the minarets might have been affected during the ongpoing cleaning work, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has blamed monkeys for weakening it.

As per a Hindustan Times report, the pinnacle of the minaret was seen lying on the cleaning platform and raised to speculations that it may have fallen off the structure. “The pinnacle did not fall down and is lying at the platform laid around for chemical cleaning. It would be repaired and pinnacle placed by tomorrow (Tuesday),” said Bhuvan Vikram Singh, superintendent, ASI.

However, as per the state chief of Smarak Suraksha Samiti the ASI's neglect led to the pinnacle falling and breaking. "Beautification work was going on for Taj Mahal minaret, (but) all of a sudden its pinnacle broke into two pieces," said the chief. "This has never happened before, this has happened due to the ASI's neglect," he added.

Agra: One of the minars of Taj Mahal reportedly suffers damage while beautification for the minars was underway. pic.twitter.com/smM6JeOjD0 — ANI (@ANI_news) March 29, 2016

This never happened before, this happeend due to ASI's neglect: State Chief, Smarak Suraksha Samiti pic.twitter.com/iKOxPSfcYh — ANI (@ANI_news) March 29, 2016

Scaffoldings have been put up around the minarets since the last few months in order to chemically wash the Taj Mahal as it is covered by a dull coat for years now.

More than two decades after Britain's Princess Diana was pictured forlornly alone at the Taj Mahal, her son Prince William and his wife Kate will visit the Indian landmark next month, evoking memories of his mother's infamous 1992 trip. The image of Diana sitting on a bench during a solitary sight-seeing trip to the Taj Mahal, a monument to love, made front page news worldwide and was widely interpreted as symbolising the irreparable state of her marriage to heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles.

With agency inputs.