Nagpur Violence: 18 Teams Combing CCTV Footage, 105 Arrested
Nagpur Riots: 14 More Arrested, Total Reaches 105 as Police File Three New FIRs
Nagpur Police arrested 14 more individuals on Friday in connection with the communal violence that erupted in Nagpur on March 17, bringing the total number of arrests to 105, including 10 juveniles. Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singhal confirmed that three fresh First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered, escalating the crackdown on those involved in the riots sparked by protests over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb.
The unrest began when Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal activists demanded the tomb’s removal in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, burning an effigy during a demonstration. Rumors that a ‘chadar’ with Quranic inscriptions was desecrated fueled widespread stone-pelting and arson in areas like Chitnis Park and Mahal. Over 60 vehicles were torched, 33 police personnel—including three DCP-rank officers—were injured, and a woman constable was allegedly molested amid the chaos.
“The 14 accused were nabbed from various parts of the city,” Singhal said, noting that 18 special teams are scouring CCTV footage to identify over 1,000 suspects. Five earlier FIRs named 200 individuals, with Fahim Shamim Khan, Minorities Democratic Party leader, arrested as a key conspirator. Curfew remains in 11 police jurisdictions, with a high-level review pending to decide on its relaxation. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis called the violence “pre-planned,” vowing strict action.
The new FIRs address fresh evidence of rioting and attacks on police, as cyber teams tackle 144 inflammatory social media posts, some traced to Bangladeshi IP addresses. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has launched a parallel probe into possible links with banned groups, intensifying efforts to restore order in a city reeling from its worst unrest in decades.
