Nagpur Violence: Clashes Over Aurangzeb’s Tomb Spark Riots, Curfew Imposed

From around 7.30 pm on Monday, violence broke out in Chitnis Park, located in the Mahal areas of central Nagpur, with stones hurled at the police due to rumors of a community holy book being burnt during protests staged by a right-wing organization advocating for the demolition of Aurangzeb's tomb situated in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Thirty-three cops, including three DCP-rank officers, were injured on Monday night when mobs went on a rampage, damaging vehicles, hurling petrol bombs and stones at police, and attacking houses.

Curfew started!

After the protests, allegations were filed against the protesters, stating that they had hurt the sentiments of the community. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered, said the Ganeshpeth police station official.

The police imposed a curfew early on Tuesday around 4:30 am after violence rocked the eastern Maharashtra city on Monday night. The curfew is still in force in several areas, including Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, and Lakadganj, where only essential movement is allowed, added officials.

Who is Fahim Khan?

Days after violent riots rocked Nagpur in Maharashtra, the man accused of masterminding the unrest - a local politician from the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP), Fahim Shamim Khan, has been nabbed by police.

The local politician is said to have instigated and incited violence in addition to being involved in the rumor-mongering that a holy book was desecrated by right-wing sections while protesting against the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb. Khan has now been named in the sixth FIR relating to the clashes wherein over seventy were injured, including thirty-four police personnel, as per PTI. He is now under investigation along with fifty others.

How Khan 'Sparked' Nagpur Riots

On March 17, tensions ran high in Nagpur when around 250 members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal staged a protest at Shivaji Putla Square near Mahal Gate for the demolition of the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Khultabad. Reports say that the protest was enlivened by the release of Chhaava, which depicts the execution of Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj by Aurangzeb, reviving people's anger against the 17th-century ruler.

Shortly after, rumors spread that some members of the right-wing groups had set fire to a holy book belonging to the Muslim community and desecrated a religious chadar, thus inciting communal tensions and outrage. This spiraled into conditions that rapidly led to violence and chaos.

According to the reports, Fahim Shamim Khan, who was acting as the local leader of the MDP allegedly played a key role in inciting unrest. He reportedly urged people to gather first near the Ganesh Peth Police Station and later at a mosque in the Mahal area, both of which became flashpoints for the riots. But the MDP has denied the accusation stating that Khan had only been to the police station to demand action against those responsible for defiling religious texts. They further said that he was arrested inside the precinct before any incident of violence broke out.

“Everyone in the country has the right to protest. The Constitution allows you to burn the effigy of Aurangzeb, and we do not have a problem with that. But why desecrate holy verses? Fahim, along with a delegation of our workers, went there to request action against those involved in the desecration. We are shocked that the police have booked and arrested him instead of taking action against the perpetrators,” MDP leader Alim Patel was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

What's the Scene Now?

After three days, curfew was relaxed in some areas of Nagpur on Thursday due to violence that had made the city agitated. At a press conference, DCP Cyber Crime Lohit Matani said that the cybercrime department sought information with the help of Facebook and requested and blocked 230 profiles on X, Instagram, and YouTube. An arrest will be made as soon as the department has received the information and has identified the accused.

The investigations will also show that misinformation was being spread by the initial videos shared on social media, which later triggered violence, and other social media video content glorified the violence, the officer said.

Nagpur continues to remain under high tension and is being monitored by security agencies. Citizens have been urged to report any suspicious activities and not indulge in unverified news. The coming days are going to be crucial in determining whether the tension level goes down or rises again.

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