Riots erupt in Nagpur after VHP rally, rumours of holy book burning

Mumbai: A riot erupted in Nagpur on Monday following an agitation by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal (BD), leading to hours of unrest. The violence initially broke out in the Mahal area and quickly escalated into stone-pelting between two groups. The exact cause of the riot remains unclear, but the VHP and BD had staged protests in Nagpur and other districts, burning effigies of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. The protests were reportedly aimed at pressuring the government to remove Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.

Locals speculated that rumors of the Quran being burned during the protests triggered the violence, which eventually turned into a full-scale riot. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, in a video statement, urged the public not to believe the rumors and to restore peace, emphasizing Nagpur's longstanding reputation for calm.

While the police contained one group, the other continued to attack officers and vandalize vehicles, forcing authorities to fire tear gas shells. Police personnel were also targeted during the chaos. The violence spread to nearby areas, including Chitnis Park, Kotwali, and Ganesh Peth, where mobs pelted stones at residential homes.


Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis appealed for public cooperation with the police, assuring that authorities were actively managing the situation. Meanwhile, Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar blamed ruling party ministers for inciting tensions, stating that the riot could have been avoided had they intervened.

By late evening, order began to return, and the police launched a combing operation to apprehend the rioters.