A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team visited the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Khultabad, Maharashtra, on Friday, intensifying surveillance following violent clashes in Nagpur earlier this week.

The move comes amid growing demands from right-wing groups to demolish the 18th-century structure, a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), located 500 km from Nagpur.

The NIA’s inspection focused on monitoring suspicious movements around the site in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, with the team also visiting nearby Parbhani, Jalna, Nanded, and Buldhana districts. Official sources said the agency is coordinating with the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) to assess potential security threats after the March 17 riots in Nagpur, sparked by protests from Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal over the tomb.

The violence, which saw vehicles torched and police attacked, led to a curfew and over 50 arrests.

The ASI recently installed tin sheets around two sides of Aurangzeb’s grave—visited by District Collector Dilip Swami and SP Vinaykumar Rathod on March 18—prompting speculation of heightened protection measures.

The NIA’s presence follows Nagpur police uncovering a possible Bangladeshi link to the unrest, with sedition cases filed against six individuals, including Fahim Khan, for inciting violence via social media. Maharashtra Cyber identified over 140 inflammatory posts across platforms, issuing notices for their removal.

Tensions have escalated since the release of Chhaava, a film depicting Aurangzeb’s execution of Maratha king Sambhaji Maharaj, fueling public anger. CM Devendra Fadnavis called the Nagpur violence “pre-planned,” urging calm. The NIA’s vigilance underscores fears of further unrest as the Aurangzeb tomb debate grips Maharashtra.