A curfew has been enforced in several areas of Nagpur in India following violent clashes sparked by a call to relocate the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb from Maharashtra.
The tomb, dating back to the 17th century, is located in Aurangabad, now renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.
Nagpur police commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal has invoked Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to impose curfew restrictions on Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, Tehsil, Lakadganj, Pachpaoli, Shantinagar, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Imamwada, Yashodharanagar, and Kapilnagar police station areas. The curfew will remain in place until further notice.
The unrest began when supporters of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal gathered near the statue of Shivaji Maharaj in Nagpur’s Mahal area to protest the tomb’s presence in Maharashtra.
During the demonstration, they raised slogans, burned a photo of Aurangzeb, and set fire to a symbolic grave covered in green cloth. The burning of the cloth led to rumors that sacred verses were written on it, fueling tensions. Subsequently, a group of around 80 to 100 people became violent, throwing stones at police officers and setting vehicles on fire. The police responded with a lathicharge and teargas. Four individuals were reported injured, along with over a dozen police officers.
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Union minister Nitin Gadkari has urged for calm, cautioning against believing rumors and assuring that action will be taken against those involved in illegal activities. “The Chief Minister is already informed of the situation, and I request everyone not to heed rumors,” he said. A total of 50 individuals have been detained in connection with the violence, and additional police forces have been deployed.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called for cooperation with authorities to maintain law and order, emphasizing that Nagpur is a peaceful city. “Please do not believe rumors and cooperate with the administration,” he stated. Fadnavis condemned the violent actions in the Mahal area, assuring that strict measures would be taken against those attacking police officers.
The violence has sparked criticism from the opposition. Shiv Sena UBT legislator Aaditya Thackeray criticized the state government, claiming that law and order had collapsed, particularly in the CM’s home city.
NCP's Supriya Sule and Congress leader Pawan Khera also condemned the violence, urging citizens to work together to preserve harmony in Maharashtra. Khera remarked that Nagpur had not experienced riots in over 300 years, accusing attempts to use historical issues to create division and unrest.