Nagpur Violence Update: 15 Arrested, 9 Injured as Houses, Vehicles Set Ablaze in Clashes Between Two Groups; Curfew Imposed

By Lokmat English Desk | Updated: March 18, 2025 08:54 IST2025-03-18T08:48:34+5:302025-03-18T08:54:17+5:30

At least nine were injured, and 15 people were arrested for vandalising vehicles and houses in Maharashtra's Nagpur on ...

Nagpur Violence Update: 15 Arrested, 9 Injured as Houses, Vehicles Set Ablaze in Clashes Between Two Groups; Curfew Imposed | Nagpur Violence Update: 15 Arrested, 9 Injured as Houses, Vehicles Set Ablaze in Clashes Between Two Groups; Curfew Imposed

Nagpur Violence Update: 15 Arrested, 9 Injured as Houses, Vehicles Set Ablaze in Clashes Between Two Groups; Curfew Imposed

At least nine were injured, and 15 people were arrested for vandalising vehicles and houses in Maharashtra's Nagpur on Monday night in clashes between two groups after a rumour was spread that a holy Quran was burned during the protest over Aurangzeb. At present, prohibitory orders are in place in several areas.

Six persons and three police personnel were injured in violence where a clinic was torched and vehicles were vandalised. Clashes fire broke out in the Central Nagpur area in Mahal at around 7.30 pm on Monday. Another clash erupted in the Hansapuri area near the Old Bhandara Road at around 11 PM.

Morning Visuals From Mahal Area of Nagpur

According to the information, cops were injured after protestors pelted stones at the police battalion as they tried to bring the situation under control. Two JCB vehicles were also set on fire by the group of people.

Also Read | Nagpur Violence: Clashes Erupt in Hansapuri as Shops Vandalised, Vehicles Burnt and Stones Pelted After Earlier Unrest in Mahal.

Police arrested at least 15 people in various localities in the Mahal area. More people will be arrested after CCTV footage from nearby areas is analysed to identify the culprits. 

Reason for Nagpur Violence

The violence broke out in the Mahal area of the city after rumours were spread that the holy book Quran was burnt by the right-wing during the protest against Aurangzeb’s tomb. As per the report, on Monday, over 200 members of the Hindu outfit groups, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, gathered near the Shivaji Maharaj statue in Mahal and protested to remove Aurangzeb's grave. The saffron protestors also burned an effigy of the Mughal ruler.

The protesters raised slogans demanding the grave’s removal and displayed a symbolic green cloth filled with cow dung cakes. Later, at around 8 pm, several people reportedly gathered in Bhaldarpura, creating tension and disrupting law and order.

The police said they placed prohibitory orders imposed in the city in the wake of the clashes. Section 144 had been imposed, and the police were directing people not to step out unnecessarily. A curfew under Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (empowering Magistrates to issue immediate preventive orders in urgent cases to prevent obstruction, danger to human life, public disturbance, or riots, and can be directed at individuals, specific areas, or the general public) had also been imposed at various places across the city.

"Curfew has been imposed in the Police station limits of Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, Lakadganj, Pachpaoali, Shantinagar, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Imamwada, Yashodhara Nagar and Kapil Nagar in Nagpur city. This curfew will remain in force until further orders," said Dr Ravinder Kumar Singal, Commissioner of Police.

Also Read | Nagpur Violence: " Do Not Believe Rumors," CM Devendra Fadnavis Appeals for Peace After Protest Over Aurangzeb Tomb Turns Violent (Watch Video).

Raje Mudhoji Bhosale, a member of the royal family of Nagpur, said, "It is a very sad incident. Such an incident never happened in Nagpur's history. Those responsible should be punished and the administration should also ensure that such an incident never happen again. Whatever happened in the morning was not taken seriously which resulted in such a big incident in the evening. Several vehicles were damaged, houses were attacked. I don't think locals were involved in this. Some anti-social elements along with outsiders must have been involved."

"We condemn every such violence...Maharashtra govt should probe why such violence happened. There are certain people in BJP, who keep spreading hatred...we kept saying there should be action against such people...BJP is diverting attention by taking up an issue of 400-year-old Aurangzeb," said AIMIM National Spokesperson Waris Pathan.

BSP chief Mayawati in a post on X, said, "It is not right to damage or break anyone's grave or mausoleum in Maharashtra because this is spoiling the mutual brotherhood, peace and harmony there. The government should take strict action against such unruly elements, especially in Nagpur, otherwise the situation can worsen, which is not right."

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Tags :Nagpur ViolenceNagpurMahalMaharashtraQuran