Nagpur witnessed violence unleashed by an Islamist mob allegedly following a rumour that Islam was insulted during a protest rally by Hindu organizations demanding the removal of tyrant Aurangzeb’s tomb.
Timeline of Nagpur violence
On Monday (17 March), Hindu organizations celebrated Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Jayanti as per the Hindu calendar. On this occasion, a function was held in front of the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Nagpur’s Mahal from 7 to 9 AM. Later, around noon, about 40 to 50 Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal (BD) activists organized a protest demanding the removal of Hindudveshi (Hinduphobic) Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb’s tomb. They burned an effigy of the Mughal tyrant wrapped in a green blanket on the occasion.
A rumour was spread that the blanket had verses of the Koran on it leading to a gathering of Islamists in the Mahal area at 5 PM. By 7 PM, the mob swelled to a sizeable Muslim mob that went on a rampage setting fire to four and two-wheelers, vandalising Hindu shops, selectively attacking Hindus, and injuring several Hindu civilians as well as police personnel.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in his statement mentioned that no religion was insulted and the blanket had no Islamic verses on it. He even said that the entire violence was pre-planned.
Yet, the rumour led to large-scale violence in Nagpur. Vehicles, including a crane, were set afire. The mob even pelted stones. The Nagpur police resorted to tear gas and mild lathi-charge to bring the situation under control. In addition to taking several suspects into custody, the Nagpur police are examining over 100 suspected social media (SM) accounts and going through video footage to identify the arsonists.
This has become a standard modus operandi of Islamists – a rumour regarding ‘Islam being insult’ is started, the message is amplified using WhatsApp, social media and other networks, a Muslim mob gathers and starts arson and violence, and those providing cover fire (armchair arson provokers like Arfa, Rana Ayub, POCSO accused Mohammad Zubair) begin playing the victim and ‘Muslims under threat in Modi’s Bharat’ card when there is police retaliation.
Atrocities unleashed by the unruly mob
A case was registered by the Ganeshpeth Police Station against a mob for attempted disrobing and molestation of a policewoman by the unruly mob. News reports state that Islamists took advantage of the dark to assault the policewoman. They not only manhandled her but also made obscene gestures at her. The policewoman was able to free herself in time. The mob went on a rampage pelting stones at vehicles and burning them. They even assaulted riot control police who were brought in to control the situation.
Faheem Khan identified as the mastermind, FIR against 51 accused
On Wednesday, 19 March, Nagpur Police arrested Faheem Khan, the city president of the Minority Democratic Party (MDP), in connection with the recent communal violence that erupted in Nagpur on 17 March. An FIR has been registered against 51 individuals, including Khan, who is alleged to be the key instigator behind the violence.
Khan, a 38-year-old resident of Sanjay Bagh Colony in Yashodhara Nagar, was taken into custody shortly after the FIR was lodged at Ganeshpeth Police Station. He has been booked under various serious charges, including conspiracy to rape, molestation, and misconduct. He has been remanded to police custody until 21 March.
Police also released a photograph of Khan and confirmed that a video had surfaced showing him delivering a provocative speech shortly before the outbreak of violence. According to senior officials, preliminary investigations suggest that Khan’s speech played a significant role in inciting tensions and triggering the communal clashes. The probe into the incident is currently ongoing.
Nagpur violence was pre-planned
As the investigation progresses, it has become clear that the entire violence was pre-planned, as we have seen in most riots including the Delhi anti-Hindu riots. Maharashtra Police has also found a Bangladesh connection regarding the Nagpur riots.
A report by ABP News says minors were used in the violence and Nagpur police has taken five of them into custody. 15 and 16-year-olds were seen participating in the arson including pelting stones and burning vehicles.
A local Hindu shopkeeper said that we have been living with Muslims in the spirit of ‘brotherhood’ but today our shops were vandalised. “What was the need to vandalise my shop? The glass of not even one Muslim shop is broken. Because we are Hindus, we are being targeted. Did we cause any harm to their shop? We are here to earn a living. It is not about money but respect. Till when should we tolerate such things under the name of brotherhood?,” a teary-eyed Hindu restaurant owner told the media.
One of the female residents recounted her terrifying experience to Times Now Navbharat. She stated that she feared for the safety of her daughter who was returning from college as an armed mob of around a thousand came into the area. They had sticks, swords, and other weapons and were vandalising vehicles and properties. She added that they vandalised the bike outside their house and when the petrol tank started leaking they used the lit diya from the Tulsi plant to set the bike afire. They also kept banging on the door.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis remarked, “In Nagpur, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal held protests. Rumours were spread that things containing religious content were burnt. It looks like a well-planned attack. No one has permission to take law and order into their hands.” Eknath Shinde, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, also called the occurrence a “planned conspiracy.”
The recent communal violence in Nagpur was reportedly triggered by social media-driven rumours claiming that a copy of the Quran was set ablaze during a protest by Hindu organisations demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The unrest initially broke out in the Mahal and Chitnis Park areas and soon spread to other parts of the city.
Chaos engulfed the streets as thousands of Muslims assembled in protest, chanting Islamic slogans such as “Allahu Akbar” and “Labaik-Ya-Rasool-Allah.” The situation quickly turned violent, with mobs vandalizing public property, pelting stones, and setting vehicles on fire.
Eyewitnesses recounted disturbing scenes, stating that the violent crowd—many with faces covered—was armed with swords, weapons, and petrol bombs. Children and passersby were not spared, as rioters indiscriminately hurled stones and attacked everyone in the vicinity. “They came in large numbers with big stones and petrol bombs in their hands. They pelted stones, destroyed property, and torched vehicles,” one witness said.
The presence of weapons and petrol bombs raises serious concerns. Despite the incident being described as a spontaneous reaction to an alleged provocation—which has not been substantiated—the organized nature of the violence points towards premeditated planning. The repeated appearance of petrol bombs and other weapons in such incidents raises critical questions: If these acts are truly spontaneous, how are such dangerous materials so readily available? This pattern challenges the narrative of impulsive outrage and suggests a deeper, orchestrated motive behind the unrest.
The incidents in Nagpur reflect a deeper, ongoing issue of increasing aggression from sections of the Muslim community, who are often seen reacting violently to perceived provocations—ranging from Hindu processions and laws such as CAA to films and unverified claims of blasphemy. The use of weapons like swords and petrol bombs has become alarmingly common, highlighting that they are always ‘prepared’ and organized to launch attacks.
Despite this, their actions are often justified by their ecosystem, while peaceful, law-abiding Hindus lack similar support or validation for even legitimate responses. The continued targeting of Hindu groups using red herrings like Chhaava and protests by BJP, VHP, & BD rather than the actual perpetrators, underscores a growing imbalance in how such violence is addressed by authorities and society.
The Nagpur violence was neither spontaneous nor just an emotional response to ‘blasphemy’, it was a well-planned conspiracy targeting Hindus. The sooner Hindu Samaj and authorities understand and accept this reality the better they will be able to deal with such anti-national and Hindudveshi elements.
