Nagpur police arrest alleged mastermind behind Monday’s violence

NAGPUR: The Nagpur police on Wednesday arrested Fahim Shamim Khan (38), a local leader of the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP), said to be mastermind behind the violence that erupted in central Nagpur late Monday night, officials said.

The unrest saw large-scale arson, stone-pelting, and attacks on police personnel, prompting the authorities to impose a curfew in the area.

Violent clashes broke out between 8:30 and 9pm on Monday in old Nagpur’s Mahal area after a dispute between two groups over razing Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, during a protest initiated by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal.

The clashes resulted in injuries to at least 10 anti-riot commandos, three IPS officers, two firemen, and several civilians. Mobs torched two JCB machines and around 40 vehicles, vandalised police vans, and clashed with security forces.

The arrest of Khan, a resident of Yashodhara Nagar, came shortly after his name was included in a first information report (FIR) registered at Ganeshpeth Police Station. The 18-page FIR named Khan as one of the prime accused. Earlier, police released his photograph and a video of him allegedly delivering an inflammatory speech just before the violence erupted.

A senior police officer said that preliminary investigations and video evidence suggest that the speech of Khan, who contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Nitin Gadkari and secured around 1,400 votes, had directly incited the violence. He has been remanded in police custody until March 21.

The city police have registered five FIRs against 51 individuals. According to the FIR filed at Ganeshpeth Police Station, a man involved in the clashes molested a woman police officer while she was on duty. The FIR also mentions that the accused made obscene gestures and misbehaved with other women, including police personnel, during the riot. The unruly mob allegedly cornered the female officer and attempted to tear her clothes, but she managed to escape before they could further target her. Authorities have launched a manhunt to arrest those responsible for the molestation.

Also Read | Nagpur violence was pre-planned, says Fadnavis

Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singhal on Wednesday visited the affected and confirmed that no further incidents had been reported since the imposition of the curfew.

However, security remains tight, with around 2,000 armed personnel deployed, including Quick Response Teams (QRT) and Riot Control Police (RCP) patrolling sensitive areas under the leadership of a deputy commissioner of police (DCP). Authorities continue to monitor the situation, with security forces maintaining strict vigilance to prevent further escalation of tensions in the city.

Meanwhile, VHP supporters, including a large number of women, gathered at Mahal, vowing to boycott businesses owned by Muslim fundamentalists and demanding strict action against the rioters. VHP Vidarbha region chief Govind Shende called for an investigation to identify the true mastermind behind the violence, alleging that such large-scale riots could not have occurred without prior planning.