Nagpur: Large parts of Nagpur remained under curfew on Wednesday, with heavy security deployed in riot-hit areas following the violent clashes on Monday night. Police have arrested 78 individuals, including eight members of Bajrang Dal and VHP, in connection with the unrest.
The alleged mastermind, Fahim Khan (38), was taken into custody during a pre-dawn raid at his residence. A burqa seller and son of a cycle repair shop owner, Khan had previously contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, securing 1,000 votes.
Khan had led a protest group to Ganeshpeth police station on Monday, demanding action against Bajrang Dal and VHP members for burning an effigy of Aurangzeb and a religious chadar during demonstrations advocating for the removal of the Mughal emperor’s tomb in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.
Shortly after leaving the station, Khan recorded a video blaming police for shielding the demonstrators and criticizing the Minority Commission chairman. The video went viral, and police claim it triggered rioting in Mahal, a central Nagpur neighborhood just 2 km from the RSS headquarters.
The eight Bajrang Dal and VHP members later surrendered at Kotwali police station before being formally arrested in connection with the Ganeshpeth case. A court granted them bail, while 27 other rioters were remanded in police custody after a nine-hour hearing.
Two individuals—a teenager and a 40-year-old man—who were critically injured in the clashes and placed on ventilator support are now reported to be out of danger and recovering at government hospitals, officials said.
Meanwhile, police teams have been deployed across the city to collect CCTV footage and gather additional evidence. Six cases have been registered, with police naming over 1,200 individuals for various offences. However, investigations have been hindered by the failure of at least 1,500 surveillance cameras, including 70 in riot-affected areas of central Nagpur.
Senior officers have reviewed the situation, as trade groups and community organizations continue to pressure authorities to lift curfew restrictions in 11 police station limits. Officials are expected to reassess the curfew on Thursday morning.
Khan, who has previously organized protests over religious issues, has a history of hate speech charges. A college dropout, he is a founding member of the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP), affiliated with the Sunni Youth Force, which has been active in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh since 2019.
