Aurangzeb tomb: violence in Nagpur vandalise, torches properties

Nagpur: Following the breakout of violence between two groups here on Monday evening over the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb, prohibitory orders have been imposed in the city after houses and vehicles were vandalised and torched in the Hansapuri area after a clash, PTI reported.

Violence erupted in central Nagpur in the Chitnis Park area in Mahal on Monday around 7.30 pm with stones hurled at police during a rally by the far-right Hindutva organisation Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)- demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb- after rumours surfaced that holy Quran was burned in the rally. The violence injured six persons, and three policemen were injured.

Nagpur CP Dr Ravinder Singal said that section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita ( empowering Magistrates to issue immediate preventive orders in urgent cases to prevent obstruction, danger to human life, public disturbance, or riots, and can be directed at individuals, specific areas, or the general public) has been imposed in the city.

Another clash broke out in the Hansapuri area near the Old Bhandara Road between 10:30 pm and 11:30 pm. An unruly mob burnt several vehicles and vandalised houses and a clinic in the area.

A resident of the Hansapuri area, Sharad Gupta (50), whose four two-wheelers, parked in front of his home, were burnt, said the mob came between 10.30 and 11.30 and threw stones and torched the vehicles.

Gupta was injured in the attack and said that the mob also vandalised a neighbour's shop. He added that the police arrived an hour later.

Angry residents called for immediate police action against the mob. A PTI Correspondent spotted a couple locking their house and leaving for a safer place around 1.20 am.

Chandrakant Kawde, another resident who was working for Ramnavami Shobha Yatra, said the mob burnt all his decoration articles and threw stones at the houses.

Some of the residents came out in their galleries and watched as a posse of cops led by senior officers marched into the lanes.

A resident of the Hansapuri area speaking to PTI said that the mob came to their home at around 10.30 pm and burnt their vehicles parked outside the house, and a fire also broke out as they torched vehicles and properties.

"We doused the fire by putting water from the first floor of our house before the fire brigade came," she said.

Another resident, Vansh Kawle, said that the mob had covered their faces and broke the CCTV camera. They also tried to break into their homes.

One more resident who has a tea stall in front of a clinic said that the mob entered the clinic (Bandu clinic), broke all the tables and medicines and vandalised the clinic and tea stall.

Police have been deployed in the Hansapuri area, officials said.