Curfew
Authorities imposed an indefinite curfew in parts of Nagpur, a major city in central India, following violent clashes sparked by a Hindu group’s demand for the removal of the tomb of the 17th-century Mughal ruler, Aurangzeb.
The violence, which erupted on Monday, resulted in significant damage to property and left several people injured, including more than a dozen police officers, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
According to police reports, at least 15 officers sustained injuries during the unrest, with one in critical condition. The violence led to the destruction of several vehicles, while tensions escalated between opposing groups in the city. A police officer, speaking anonymously, described the severity of the clashes, stating that authorities had to intervene forcefully to restore order.
Devendra Fadnavis, the chief minister of Maharashtra, where Nagpur is located, condemned the violence in a video statement and urged the public to remain calm. He emphasized the importance of maintaining law and order and assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible.
“I have told the police commissioner to take whatever strict steps are necessary,” Fadnavis said. He also discouraged people from believing unverified rumors about the situation.
However, in his address, Fadnavis also expressed a degree of support for the demand to remove Aurangzeb’s tomb. He described it as unfortunate that his government had to protect the burial site, given Aurangzeb’s historical reputation for persecuting Hindus.
The violence began when members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a right-wing Hindu nationalist group, burned an effigy of Emperor Aurangzeb while chanting slogans demanding the removal of his tomb, which is located in the nearby city of Aurangabad. The group argued that the site should be replaced with a memorial honoring Maratha rulers instead.
The unrest escalated further when members of Muslim groups reportedly marched near a police station and threw stones at law enforcement officers. Witnesses told ANI news agency that some of the attackers wore masks to conceal their identities and carried sharp weapons and glass bottles.
The VHP has denied any involvement in the violence, maintaining that their protest was peaceful. Milind Parande, the group’s general secretary, stated in a video message that their demand was solely to honor local Maratha rulers rather than to provoke communal tensions.
Nagpur, known as the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)—the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—has historically been a stronghold for Hindu nationalist organizations. The VHP is affiliated with the RSS and shares similar ideological views.
Critics of Modi’s government have long accused him of fostering an environment of discrimination against Muslims and failing to take action against groups targeting them. His administration, however, has consistently denied such allegations.
Across India, right-wing Hindu groups have increasingly targeted Muslim places of worship, claiming they were built over Hindu temples destroyed during historical conquests. The latest violence in Nagpur adds to a growing list of religiously charged disputes that have fueled tensions in the country.
As authorities enforce the curfew to restore order, the incident has once again highlighted deep religious and political divisions in India. Police continue to monitor the situation closely, while political leaders call for calm amid the ongoing unrest.
