Nagpur remains tense after Monday night’s communal violence, sparked by Hindu right-wing groups Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb.
A curfew has been imposed in sensitive areas, with police stating that the situation is now under control. However, an FIR has been registered against 51 people— all of them reportedly Muslims.
The clashes erupted when VHP and Bajrang Dal members set fire to an effigy of Aurangzeb and allegedly burned a cloth with Quranic verses inscribed on it, BBC reported.
As outrage spread, tensions escalated in Nagpur’s Mahal area, with vehicles being torched and stone-pelting incidents reported. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed the violence “pre-planned” and warned of strict action against those who attacked the police.
Nagpur Police on Wednesday released an image of Fahim Shamim Khan, identifying him as the alleged mastermind behind the unrest. He has been remanded in police custody until March 21. A second FIR accuses him of mobilising around 500 people, leading to property damage and attacks on law enforcement. However, there was no FIR against VHP and Bajrang Dal men who started the violence. There have been no reported arrests from these groups.
The demand to remove Aurangzeb’s tomb—located 500 km from Nagpur in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar—has intensified in recent years, with right-wing groups citing the Mughal emperor’s historical actions against Hindu rulers and religious sites.
While Fadnavis acknowledged that the tomb is a protected heritage site but stated that his government would not glorify Aurangzeb’s legacy.
Curfew remains in place in several parts of Nagpur as authorities monitor the law-and-order situation. Police Commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal stated that the situation would be reviewed later on Wednesday.
