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Violence left 38 people injured, including 33 police officers. Curfew was imposed in multiple areas, with 5 FIRs filed and 50 suspects arrested in .
Mumbai: Bajrang Dal and VHP Protest Over Aurangzeb’s Tomb Leads to Night of Chaos in Nagpur
A protest by Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) members on Monday at Chitnis Park Chowk in Nagpur spiraled into violence, creating chaos across multiple areas in the city. The protest, centered on demands for the demolition of the 17th-century Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb, turned controversial when protesters burned a ‘chadar’ (holy cloth) inscribed with Quranic verses, enraging the local Muslim community.
The incident quickly escalated into violent clashes in areas like Ganeshpeth, Bhagalpur, and Hansapuri, leaving 33 police personnel and five civilians injured, with one civilian needing ICU treatment. While VHP denied burning the chadar, video evidence confirmed the act. Local Muslim leaders, such as Shakib ur Rehman of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), expressed outrage over the burning of the sacred cloth, questioning why it had been targeted when the community had no issues with protests against Aurangzeb’s tomb.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who hails from Nagpur, condemned the violence, calling it a “pre-planned conspiracy” and a “targeted attack on specific houses.” Fadnavis detailed the discovery of a truckload of stones and weapons, along with torched vehicles, suggesting deliberate efforts to instigate unrest. He further confirmed that three senior police officers were injured, one severely, in the attacks.
The police have registered five FIRs in connection with the violence, with 50 suspects arrested. The situation remains tense, and curfews have been imposed across 11 police station boundaries in Nagpur, including areas like Mahal, Kotwali, and Ganeshpeth. However, authorities assert that the situation is under control.
The controversy over Aurangzeb’s tomb has been simmering for days, fueled by statements from various Mahayuti leaders, including Cabinet Minister Nitesh Rane, who hinted at a “Babri Masjid-type” action. Protests across Maharashtra intensified on 17 March, coinciding with Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti celebrations, where VHP and Bajrang Dal workers, including those in Nagpur, called for the demolition of the tomb.
The spark for the violence in Nagpur, according to local leaders like Congress’ Prafulla Gudadhe, was the burning of the chadar. The chadar, traditionally offered by both Hindus and Muslims at a local ‘mazar’, was a symbol of shared religious practices, making the act of burning it deeply provocative. Despite the unrest, the VHP leader, Milind Parande, denied any wrongdoing, blaming the Muslim community for inciting violence.
In the aftermath of the violence, there was criticism of the police’s slow response to the initial complaints from the Muslim community. Although video evidence was presented to the authorities, it took time for police to act, which further escalated the situation. As the violence spread, a mob of 200-300 people gathered in Hansapuri, leading to stone pelting and clashes with the police, while a separate incident in Bhagalpur saw a group of 80-100 rioters attack officers, prompting the use of tear gas.
The violence continued into the night, affecting key areas like Chitnis Park and Shukrawari Talao, with multiple vehicles damaged and numerous confrontations between rioters and the police. Local leaders lamented the breakdown of Nagpur’s historically peaceful communal relations, with figures like Gudadhe emphasizing the longstanding harmony between Hindus and Muslims in the city.
Despite these concerns, BJP MLA Pravin Datke criticized the police for not acting swiftly to control the rioting, suggesting a lack of support for the Hindu community. AIMIM’s Shakib ur Rehman also questioned the effectiveness of police intelligence in preventing the unrest.
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In response, Nagpur Commissioner of Police Ravinder Singhal defended the police actions, asserting that they had acted promptly to control the situation. He explained that the rioters had easy access to stones and bricks due to ongoing construction in the area, which had been used to escalate the violence. Singhal maintained that the police had been at the forefront of managing the chaos, with 33 officers injured in the process.
As the situation stabilizes, authorities continue to monitor the tense atmosphere in Nagpur, with heightened security and ongoing investigations into the incidents that sparked the violence.
