Authorities imposed an indefinite curfew in parts of Nagpur, a city in central India, after clashes erupted between police and a Hindu group demanding the removal of the tomb of a 17th-century Mughal ruler. The violence, which occurred on Monday, left more than a dozen police officers injured, one of them seriously, according to local authorities.
The unrest, triggered by the demand from the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu nationalist group, led to extensive damage to vehicles and injuries to several people. A police officer, who spoke anonymously, confirmed that at least 15 police personnel were among those injured in the clashes.
Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, the state where Nagpur is located, condemned the violence in a video message, urging authorities to prioritize restoring peace and order. “I have instructed the police commissioner to take all necessary strict measures to control the situation,” Fadnavis said.
According to a police statement, members of the VHP staged a protest, burning an effigy of Emperor Aurangzeb, the Mughal ruler whose tomb they want removed. The protesters, chanting slogans, demanded the tomb be replaced with a memorial for rulers from the local Maratha community. The tomb is located in the nearby city of Aurangabad.
The situation escalated when members of Muslim groups marched near a police station, with some participants reportedly throwing stones at officers. The attackers were masked and armed with sharp weapons and bottles, according to a local resident who spoke to the ANI news agency, which is partially owned by Reuters.
The VHP, however, denied any involvement in the violence. In a video statement, the group’s general secretary, Milind Parande, said that their protest was peaceful and reiterated the demand to replace Aurangzeb’s tomb with a Maratha memorial.
Nagpur is notable for being the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent organization of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The VHP is part of this broader family of Hindu nationalist organizations.
Critics of Prime Minister Modi have frequently accused him of fostering discrimination against Muslims and failing to act against groups that target the minority community. Both Modi and his government have consistently denied these allegations.
BY MR KENDRICK
