Nagpur Violence Premeditated, Says CM; 50 Held, Curfew Imposed

Nagpur: More tthan 50 persons have been taken into custody and curfew imposed in parts of Nagpur, a day after protests against Aurangzeb's tomb triggered violence in the city, while Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed the violence was premeditated.

Fadnavis attributed the “heightened emotions” to the release of the movie Chhava, which depicted the brutal atrocities committed by Aurangzeb against Sambhaji Maharaj. Five FIRs have been registered in connection with the violence, Nagpur police commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal said.

Violence erupted in central Nagpur's Chitnis Park in Mahal area on Monday around 7.30 pm, with stones hurled at police amid rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing body for the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, officials said.

Another clash broke out in Hansapuri area near the Old Bhandara Road between 10.30 pm and 11.30 pm. An unruly mob burnt several vehicles, and vandalised houses and a clinic in the area. As many as 34 police personnel were injured in the violence, state BJP president and Nagpur guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said after visiting the injured police personnel at a hospital in Nagpur on Tuesday.

"Social media was used to vitiate the atmosphere and there was no failure on part of the home department, as police stood as a shield between the Hindu and Muslim communities (during the violence), wherein several policemen also got injured," he said.

The situation now is a little tense, but there is peace in the city with adequate police force deployed, Bawankule said. Curfew has been imposed in areas under the jurisdiction of Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, Tehsil, Lakadganj, Pachpaoli, Shanti Nagar, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Imambada, Yashodhara Nagar and Kapil Nagar police stations, police said.