MAHARASHTRA: Curfew has been imposed in several areas of Maharashtra's Nagpur city after a protest against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb triggered violence in Nagpur during which several houses and vehicles were vandalised, officials said on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Fadnavis attributed the "heightened emotions" to the release of the movie Chhava, which depicted the brutal atrocities committed by Aurangzeb against Sambhaji Maharaj.
The situation in the city is peaceful at present, the police said.
More than 50 persons have been taken into custody and five FIRs registered in connection with the violence, police commissioner Ravinder Singal said.
While briefing reporters, Singal said, "The police have taken more than 50 persons into custody and registered five FIRs at various police stations in connection with the violence.
As many as 34 police personnel and five other persons suffered injuries, District Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Tuesday.
Two of the injured persons were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in a hospital here, Bawankule told reporters at the Nagpur airport, as he arrived here to review the situation following the incident on Monday.
"Five citizens were also injured. Out of them, two are in the ICU and three were discharged in the morning," he said.
Besides, 45 vehicles were also vandalised during the violence, the minister said, and appealed to members of all the communities to maintain peace in the city and not support any anti-social elements.
Strict action will be taken against those who perpetrated the violence, he said.
Bawankule said he will meet the Nagpur police commissioner and district collector and conduct a review of the entire incident.
"I have been been directed by the chief minister for the same," he said.
Violence erupted in central Nagpur's Chitnis Park area in Mahal on Monday around 7:30 pm, with stones hurled at police amid rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing body for the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb (located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district), officials earlier said.
Several persons were injured in the incident, they had said.
Another clash broke out in 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.
During the curfew, the area's DCP concerned would decide on vehicular movement as per the need, the police said.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and leaders from the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) targeted the Devendra Fadnavis government over Monday's violence in Nagpur and demanded stringent action against the perpetrators.
BSP head Mayawati in a post on X said, "It is not right to damage or break anyone's grave or mausoleum in Maharashtra because this is spoiling the mutual brotherhood, peace and harmony there."
The government should take strict action against such unruly elements, especially in Nagpur, otherwise the "situation can worsen", which is not right, the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh added.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also took to X to target Maharashtra's Mahayuti government, which comprises the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP.
"Instigating violence, creating instability in the state, keeping the citizens busy over the past history while getting away with tough questions on the state's financial doom, increased debt burden, growing joblessness and farmer suicides."
"Maharashtra is being strategically led towards making the state unattractive for investment, it is to help the neighbouring state to take advantage," she claimed.
"Under Shinde all businesses were driven to Gujarat at the expense of the state and under the current CM making state unviable for investment forcing businesses to move out. Shameless," the Rajya Sabha member said.
Leader of Opposition in the state legislative council, Ambadas Danve, blamed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his government for the violence in Nagpur, which is the CM's hometown.
"I am clearly stating that the Maharashtra government and state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home department portfolio, are behind the Nagpur violence," Danve said in a video statement on Monday night.
The CM holds the home department portfolio but does not get to know about the possible eruption of violence in his native place, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.
"This government has made efforts for the last one month to stoke Hindu-Muslim violence in the state. Such violence would disrupt the daily life of Hindus as well as Muslims, but (the government) wants to reap political benefits out of it. The BJP and its associated organisations are trying to disrupt the harmony in the state," he alleged.
The state government cannot run away from its responsibilities, Danve added.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticised Fadnavis and his ministers, stating, "We need to examine the statements made by the CM and ministers in recent weeks. The biggest provocation is coming from the government, and they don't even feel responsible.
Pictures of an emperor were set on fire, and despite complaints, no action was taken. I condemn the violence, but the incident must be viewed in its entirety.
The provocative statements from the government are highly inappropriate.
The government has failed in its responsibility, and this reflects a failure in intelligence.
This incident occurred both in the CM's hometown and near the residence of a Union minister," Owaisi said.
Meanwhile, CM Fadnavis and Union minister from Nagpur, Nitin Gadkari, have appealed for peace and harmony.
Fadnavis has called for calm and asked people not to believe rumours.
(With inputs from PTI)
