The curfew has been imposed within the police station limits of Lakadganj, Pachpaoli, Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, Tehsil, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Shantinagar.
Nagpur: After massive protests over the removal of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s grave, which turned violent, the administration has imposed a curfew in several areas under Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The official order, issued by Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal, stated that restrictions will remain in place until further notice.
The curfew has been imposed within the police station limits of Lakadganj, Pachpaoli, Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, Tehsil, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Shantinagar, Imamwada, Yashodharanagar, and Kapilnagar.
According to the official order, over 200 members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on March 17 and Bajrang Dal gathered near Shivaji Maharaj statue in Mahal and started protesting, demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s grave.
At approximately 7:30 pm, it was reported that around 80 to 100 individuals assembled in Bhaldarpura, leading to heightened tension and disturbances in public order. The authorities noted that this gathering caused public distress and hindered the movement of individuals on the roads. Consequently, the police enforced a “communication ban (curfew)” in the impacted areas under Section 163 to avert further incidents and ensure peace.
“During the lockdown period, no person should go out of the house for any reason other than medical reasons, nor should more than five people gather inside it. Also, orders are passed to prohibit spreading any kind of rumour, prohibiting doing all such acts,” the order read.
The police have been authorised to close roads in affected areas to maintain law and order. Anyone violating the curfew “remains punishable under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).”
The order further said, “will not be applicable to police officers/employees on duty as well as government/administrative officers/employees, students appearing for essential services, and persons related to the fire brigade and various departments.”
Violence broke out in the Hansapuri area of Nagpur as unidentified individuals damaged shops, set vehicles on fire, and threw stones. This unrest followed a previous altercation between two groups in the Mahal area, which had already increased tensions in the city. An eyewitness from Hansapuri recounted the disorder caused by a masked group, stating, “A team arrived here with their faces covered by scarves. They were armed with sharp weapons, stickers, and bottles. They initiated the chaos, vandalized shops, and threw stones, as well as setting vehicles ablaze.”
Earlier, Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal stated that the situation was under control.
“The situation is peaceful right now. A photo was burned, followed by people gathering. We requested them to disperse, and we even took action in this regard. They had even come to my office to meet me. They were told that an FIR had been lodged based on the names they mentioned, and action would be taken against them,” he said.
He further explained the timeline of the unrest. “This incident occurred around 8-8:30 pm. Not many vehicles have been torched. We are assessing the damage. Two vehicles have been torched, and stone pelting has occurred. Police are conducting combing operations, and those involved are being identified and arrested. We have imposed Section 144, and everyone has been instructed not to step out unnecessarily or take the law into their own hands. Do not believe in rumours. Except for this area, the entire city is peaceful,” he added.
(Note: This is a developing story and further details will be added.)
