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Curfew in Nagpur as Hindu groups want Aurangzeb Tomb Demolished
A curfew has been imposed in several areas of Nagpur following violent clashes triggered by a dispute over the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, located in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district, now renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Nagpur police commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal enacted curfew restrictions under Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, affecting areas including Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, Tehsil, Lakadganj, Pachpaoli, Shantinagar, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Imamwada, Yashodharanagar, and Kapilnagar police station jurisdictions. The curfew will remain in place until further notice.
Tomb of Emperor Aurangjeb.
The violence erupted when supporters of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal staged a protest near the statue of Shivaji Maharaj in Nagpur’s Mahal area, calling for the relocation of Aurangzeb’s tomb from Maharashtra. Protesters burned a photo of Aurangzeb and set fire to a symbolic grave wrapped in green cloth. The fire sparked rumors that sacred verses were written on the cloth, further inflaming tensions. This led to a violent confrontation, with around 80 to 100 individuals throwing stones at police officers and setting vehicles on fire. In response, police used lathicharge and teargas. Four individuals and over a dozen police officers were reported injured.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari called for calm, urging citizens not to believe rumors and assuring that action would be taken against those responsible for the violence. "The Chief Minister is aware of the situation, and strict actions will be taken," he said. A total of 50 individuals have been detained, and additional police forces have been deployed.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis appealed for cooperation with authorities to maintain peace, stressing that Nagpur is a historically peaceful city. He condemned the violence and assured strict measures against those attacking law enforcement.
The unrest has drawn criticism from the opposition, with Shiv Sena UBT legislator Aaditya Thackeray accusing the state government of failing to maintain law and order, 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 communal harmony. Khera noted that Nagpur had not seen riots in over 300 years, accusing the situation of being fueled by efforts to use historical issues to sow division.