The Nagpur police have sent 17 people to police custody until March 22 in connection with the recent violence over the Aurangzeb tomb issue. The case has created tension in the city, leading to multiple arrests. The police custody of 51 accused, including alleged mastermind Fahim Khan, ends today. All of them will be presented before the court for further legal proceedings. Authorities are keeping a close watch on the situation to prevent further unrest. The court’s decision on their custody will be crucial in handling the case.
In a late-night court hearing on Thursday, 17 individuals accused in the Nagpur violence were placed in police custody until March 22. According to reports, the police revealed that 62 vehicles were damaged during the unrest.
The violence was reportedly triggered by rumors regarding a ‘chadar’ with holy inscriptions being burned during protests led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which sought the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb.
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The police have charged Fahim Khan, identified as the mastermind behind the violence, along with five others, with sedition and spreading misinformation on social media. Investigations indicated that the initial spread of misinformation was fueled by videos shared online, which incited violence and led to further videos that “glorified” the chaos.
Three days after the violence erupted, the curfew in some areas of Nagpur was either lifted or relaxed on Thursday.
The curfew had been imposed in several police station areas, including Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, Tehsil, Lakadganj, Pachpaoli, Shanti Nagar, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Imambada, Yashodhara Nagar, and Kapil Nagar.
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To ensure public convenience and maintain law and order, Commissioner of Police Ravinder Singal ordered the lifting of the curfew in the Nandanvan and Kapil Nagar police station areas starting at 2 PM on Thursday.
The police have charged Fahim Khan, identified as the mastermind behind the Nagpur violence, along with five others, with sedition and spreading misinformation on social media.
The investigation revealed that the violence was initially fueled by videos shared online, which spread misinformation and led to further videos that “glorified” the unrest.
In response to demands from right-wing organizations for the removal of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb in Khultabad, located in Maharashtra’s Sambhajinagar district, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has placed tin sheets on two sides of the 18th-century structure.
Following directives from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district administration, a circular fence will also be constructed around the tomb.
On Thursday, members of the Muslim community in Nagpur held a press conference, urging Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to meet with representatives from both communities to foster peace.