Hindutva Group Members Surrender After Nagpur Violence

Eight Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal Members Turn Themselves In

Eight members of the Hindutva groups, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, surrendered to the police on Wednesday. This was in connection with the violence that occurred in Nagpur, Maharashtra two days earlier, as reported by The Indian Express.

Members Granted Bail

The members surrendered to the Kotwali Police and were granted bail after being presented before a court. They were booked for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

Clashes Erupted on Monday Night

The clashes in Nagpur broke out on Monday night, hours after Hindutva groups held a protest in the city. They demanded the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb located in Khuldabad near Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.

Fahim Shamim Khan Arrested

Earlier on Wednesday, the police also arrested Fahim Shamim Khan, a Minorities Democratic Party leader. He was suspected to be involved in the violence.

• Khan was arrested for allegedly leading a protest outside the Ganeshpeth police station on Monday. He demanded the filing of a complaint against the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal for triggering the clashes.
• His name was listed along with that of over 50 other suspects in one of the six FIRs registered so far in connection with the clashes.

Violence in Central Nagpur

The violence erupted on Monday in central Nagpur’s Chitnis Park at 7.30 pm. Stones were thrown at the police amid rumours that a cloth with the Islamic declaration of faith, known as the Kalma, had been burnt during an agitation by a Hindutva group in the late afternoon.

• Unidentified office-bearers of the Bajrang Dal were quoted as saying by The Indian Express that its members had only burnt an effigy of Aurangzeb during the protest.
• Another clash erupted in Hansapuri, an area close to Chitnis Park, between 10.30 pm and 11.30 pm.
• The violence also spread to Kotwali and Ganeshpeth areas.

Police Resort to Tear Gas and Lathi Charge

The police fired tear gas shells and resorted to lathi charge to disperse the mob in the Chitnis Park area. Several bikes and cars were set on fire on Monday night.

Prohibitory Orders Imposed

After the violence, prohibitory orders barring public gatherings were imposed within the limits of 11 police stations of Nagpur.

Hindutva Groups Demand Removal of Aurangzeb’s Tomb

The violence came amid Hindutva groups, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, in recent weeks stepping up their campaign to demand the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb, claiming that the structure is a “symbol of pain and slavery”. The two groups held protests in several cities of Maharashtra on Monday.