Violence in Nagpur: Muslims arbitrarily detained, Hindutva mobs run unchecked
Nagpur (Maharashtra): Following violence that erupted in Nagpur’s Mahal area in Maharashtra after a protest by Hindutva groups demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb, local Muslims said that the police acted as “mute spectators” to attacks on their community and engaged in arbitrary detentions.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the unrest began when members of the VHP and Bajrang Dal burned a poster of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and a Dargah chadar inscribed with Quranic verses in the Mahal area. In response, local Muslims gathered at the scene, demanding the arrest of those responsible and lodging complaints with the police. However, residents stated that instead of taking action against the perpetrators, the police sided with the Hindu mob and detained innocent individuals. The VHP and Bajrang Dal members marched through Muslim-majority areas of Nagpur, chanting anti-Muslim slogans, which further fueled the clashes between the two communities. Locals say that the police were absent during the initial confrontation and only arrived after tensions had already escalated.
Shafiq Ahmed, a 52-year-old resident of Bhaldarpura, described how a mob of 200-300 Hindutva activists arrived late at night on March 17, armed with lathis, and vandalized several vehicles in the area, including his own. Ahmed said that police officers were present but instead of intervening, some participated in the destruction of property. “They didn’t stop the mob, they joined in,” Ahmed stated. Zeeshan Shaikh, another resident of Bhaldarpura, shared that both the Hindu mob and police targeted his family’s vehicles, stating, “We recorded the incident on our phones, but we can’t share the footage—if we do, the police might detain me too.”
According to witnesses, the violence also targeted individuals. Danish Khan, a local resident, was beaten by the police before being detained while returning home late at night. “Danish was wearing a kurta when the police beat him up in front of his house,” said Zeeshan.
Residents also reported that at around 2 AM on March 18, police conducted raids in Muslim-majority areas such as Mominpura, Bhaldarpura, and Mahal, taking away young Muslim men without any clear involvement in the protest. “Many of those detained had no connection to the protest,” said Ahmed. An FIR filed at Ganesh Peth Police Station names 52 individuals, all from the Muslim community.
Social activist Pramod Munghate expressed alarm over the political climate in Maharashtra, citing hate speeches from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other BJP leaders targeting Muslims and the Mughal rulers. “The political rhetoric surrounding the Mughals in Maharashtra is unacceptable. Instead of fueling division and hatred, the government should focus on addressing the real issues affecting the state,” Munghate said.
