India orders curfew after violence over tomb of 17th-century Muslim ruler
Authorities clamped indefinite curfew on parts of the Indian city of Nagpur after more than a dozen police officers were hurt in clashes sparked by a Hindu group's demand for the removal of the tomb of a 17th-century Mughal ruler, police said on Tuesday.
The violence erupted on Monday in central India, resulting in damage to several vehicles and leaving multiple individuals wounded. Among the injured were at least 15 police personnel, with one officer reported to be in critical condition, according to a senior police official who requested anonymity.
Devendra Fadnavis, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra—where Nagpur is located—condemned the incident in a video statement, urging for the preservation of peace and public order.
According to a police statement, members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) organized a protest during which they burned effigies of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and his tomb while chanting slogans demanding its removal from Aurangabad, a nearby city.
Tensions escalated when several individuals from Muslim groups reportedly gathered near a local police station and began pelting stones at officers. Witnesses claimed that some attackers were masked and armed with sharp objects and bottles, as reported by the ANI news agency.
The VHP has denied any involvement in violent activities. Milind Parande, the organization’s general secretary, said in a video message that the group seeks to replace the tomb with a monument honoring leaders of the Maratha community.
Nagpur is also known as the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological foundation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The VHP is part of the same group of affiliated organizations.
Prime Minister Modi and his administration have often faced criticism from opposition leaders and activists who accuse them of neglecting to protect minority communities, particularly Muslims. However, the government has consistently denied such claims.
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