Activists detained on Samruddhi Expressway after threat to lock Aurangzeb’s Tomb

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

In a swift crackdown, police intercepted and detained four office-bearers of the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje Shaurya Pratishthan on the Samruddhi Expressway on Saturday morning. The activists, who had threatened to lock Aurangzeb’s tomb, were returning from Mumbai when police moved in. Later, they were placed under house arrest in Jalna district, senior officials confirmed.

The detained activists Balraje Aware, Rajshree Umbare, Sambhaji Aghav, and Pravin Nagare had earlier declared that if the tomb was not sealed by March 22, they would proceed with 20 vehicles from eight districts to lock it themselves. Anticipating potential law-and-order issues, authorities took immediate preventive measures, keeping a close watch on their movements. Additional district magistrate Vinod Khiroalkar and DCP Nitin Bagate issued orders on March 20 prohibiting their entry into Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Khultabad until April 5. The directive aimed to preempt any attempt to mobilize supporters or escalate tensions in the region.

Tracked and stopped on expressway

The activists travelled to Mumbai on Friday to submit a memorandum to CM Devendra Fadnavis. Anticipating their return, the police deployed technical surveillance to track their movements. As soon as they were detected approaching the Ajanta Interchange on the Samruddhi Expressway, senior officials coordinated their detention, preventing them from proceeding further.

Group vows to continue attempts

Following their restriction to Mahakala in Jalna, the activists alleged that police had stationed officers outside their residences to curb their movements. However, they remained defiant, asserting that they would still attempt to reach Khultabad and lock the tomb using guerrilla tactics. In response, the police ramped up vigilance, closely monitoring members of the organization and associated groups throughout Saturday. Intelligence agencies were also engaged in tracking developments, ensuring that any further attempts to breach security measures were thwarted.