Police personnel were deployed in large numbers after tensions broke out following a dispute between two groups at Mahal are in Nagpur on March 17, 2025.
| Photo Credit: ANI
The protests over demands to demolish Aurangzeb’s tomb turned violent as tension triggered in Nagpur’s Ganeshpeth, Mahal, and Gandhibagh areas on Monday (March 17, 2025) afternoon, with stone-pelting and arson reported.
According to police, tension escalated when the rumour of burning the holy book of the Muslim community during the protest spread in the area. The videos of the Bajrang Dal demonstration went viral, leading to outrage and dispute between the two communities.
Police resorted to lathi-charge and tear gas to disperse the crowds, with several persons injured.
Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) demonstrated in various districts across the State, including Pune, Kolhapur, Nashik, Malegaon, Nagpur, and Ahilyanagar, demanding removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb in Khuldabad, Chattrapati Sambhajinagar. Aurangzeb controversy triggered in Maharashtra after Samajwadi Party MP Abu Azmi made statements praising the Mughal emperor.
Police deployed additional forces, including Quick Response Teams (QRTs), riot control police, and the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) to control the situation.
As a precautionary measure, security heightened in other parts of the city. “We are on the spot and in the process of filing FIR,” C.P. Ravinder Singhal told The Hindu.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari called the incident “unfortunate” and appealed to Nagpur citizens to remain calm. “The tense situation appeared in Nagpur after a dispute broke between two groups of youth in the Mahal area of Nagpur. Nagpur is known for peace and harmony, there are no disputes or fights on the basis of caste-sect-religion in this city. The administration will definitely take action regarding whatever happened today. All the citizens of Nagpur should cooperate with the administration and make their efforts to ensure peace.”
Following incidents of stone-pelting and tense situations in the Mahal area of Nagpur, the police administration is actively working to control the situation. In light of these developments, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has appealed to citizens to cooperate fully with the administration.
He urged citizens to remain in constant contact with the police and administration and extend their full support. “Nagpur is a peace-loving city, known for its tradition of standing together in times of joy and sorrow. This has always been Nagpur’s enduring legacy. In such times, do not believe in rumours and cooperate fully with the administration,” he said.
He stressed on the importance of maintaining peace and urged everyone to avoid spreading or trusting unverified information, ensuring the situation is resolved amicably.
Maharashtra Congress Chief Harshvardhan Sapkal’s said, “This is the city of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. The fact that such a level of tension, stone-pelting, and arson has erupted in this city, and the police were unprepared for it, reflects the failure of the Home Department. For the past few days, ministers in the state cabinet have been deliberately making provocative statements, attempting to create social discord.”
Published – March 17, 2025 11:32 pm IST
