A group of individuals involved in the violent unrest in Nagpur on Monday allegedly inappropriately touched an on-duty woman police officer at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Putla Chowk, taking advantage of the darkness, according to an FIR lodged in connection with the incident. The FIR further stated that the accused made obscene gestures and remarks directed at other women officers deployed at the site.
The police have registered multiple charges under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1932, the Public Property Damage Prevention Act of 1984, and the Maharashtra Police Act of 1951. A total of 51 named individuals, along with several unidentified suspects, have been booked in connection with the violence.
The unrest reportedly escalated after Fahim Khan, the city president of the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP), approached the police to lodge a complaint against members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, who had been staging protests in the Mahal area demanding the demolition of Aurangzeb’s tomb. Around the same time, a large crowd gathered at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Putla Chowk, where police officials alleged that a group among them carried axes and petrol bombs.
According to the FIR filed by a police inspector from Ganeshpeth police station, the accused spread false rumors and incited hostility against the police, leading to heightened tensions. Despite repeated police appeals to disperse, the mob refused to leave. The FIR further alleged that the attackers intended to create terror, promote enmity between religious groups, and disrupt social harmony in the area.
Following the violence, Nagpur City Police have registered five FIRs and confirmed that at least 38 people, including high-ranking officers at the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) level, sustained injuries. Zone 3 DCP Mahak Swami stated that 34 suspects have been taken into custody, while another 30 individuals are under investigation for their suspected involvement in the arson and violence.
While the situation has eased, authorities continue to maintain strict law enforcement measures to prevent further disturbances. Five companies of the State Reserve Police Force and four units of the Riot Control Police, alongside the full strength of the Nagpur City Police, are conducting continuous patrols to ensure order is maintained in the city.
