The police have identified the mastermind behind the communal clashes that erupted on Monday, March 16, injuring several police officers. The violence broke out following a confrontation between two communities, allegedly triggered by rumours that a copy of the Quran had been burned during a protest by Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal against Aurangzeb's tomb.
During the riots, arson attacks were reported, and several vehicles and shops were vandalised. Both groups engaged in stone pelting, further escalating tensions in the Nagpur Ganesh Peth area.
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The Nagpur police have filed an FIR against 51 individuals, including Minority Democratic Party (MDP) city president Faheem Khan, for allegedly instigating the violence. The charges include conspiracy, molestation, and misconduct.
Authorities are investigating the origins of the stone pelting, the crowd’s mobilisation, and the alleged sexual harassment of female police officers during the riots. Faheem Khan has been remanded to police custody until March 21 as part of the ongoing probe.
Who is Faheem Khan?Nagpur police have identified Faheem Khan as the key conspirator behind the riots. Khan, a leader of the Minority Democratic Party (MDP), contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Nagpur constituency against Union Minister Nitin Gadkari but lost by a significant margin of over 6.5 lakh votes.