Local politician held as mastermind of Nagpur violence, new FIR says woman officer molested
Police have arrested local politician Fahim Khan, president of the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP), for allegedly instigating Monday’s Nagpur violence
Mumbai: Police have arrested local politician Fahim Khan, president of the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP), for allegedly instigating Monday’s Nagpur violence. A new FIR was registered on Wednesday regarding the alleged molestation of a woman officer during the violence. While the police said that the situation in the city is under control, curfew orders continued in sensitive parts. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the police will dig out all the culprits of the violence even “from graves”.
Khan, who unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election last year against Union minister Nitin Gadkari, was arrested on Tuesday night. According to the police, he made videos urging Muslims to gather near a police station and then near a mosque in the Mahal area of Nagpur, where the clashes erupted. Videos of the violence show rioters shouting slogans in support of Aurangzeb and hailing him as ‘Alamgir Hazrat’. Khan provoked people, incited violence and played a role in spreading rumours that a holy book was desecrated during the earlier protests held by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajarang Dal, the police said.
The police produced Khan before a magistrate court, which remanded him along with 18 other accused to police custody till March 21.
The Nagpur police said they were investigating if the conspiracy behind the violence was hatched by one person or a group. “We are verifying the names coming up in relation to the rioting,” Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal said. The police have already arrested more than 50 people.
Curfew continued to be imposed for the second consecutive day in the jurisdiction of 10 police stations across Nagpur. Maharashtra DGP Rashmi Shukla held a meeting with senior police officers from across the state via video conferencing. She told them to take note of even small incidents that can lead to communal violence and take appropriate measures to tackle them. She also said that cops should be visible on the streets so that anti-social elements are kept in check.
According to a new FIR registered on Wednesday, one of the rioters inappropriately touched an on-duty woman officer and tried to remove her uniform. He also made obscene gestures and misbehaved with some other women, including police personnel.
Meanwhile, Eight members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal surrendered to Kotwali police on Wednesday. The Nagpur police had filed FIRs against them for allegedly hurting religious sentiments following their protest demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb in Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad). The police took them into custody and presented them before the court, which released them on bail.
Clarifying stand of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on the ongoing Aurangzeb controversy, RSS national publicity in-charge Sunil Ambekar said, “The issue of Aurangzeb is not relevant at present, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh does not support any form of violence.”
While replying to the discussion budget demands in the Maharashtra Legislature, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that those involved in the Nagpur riots will be caught even if they are hiding in graves. “It was a pre-planned conspiracy. Those who attacked the police force in Nagpur, will be dug out from their graves..They will not be spared. All other things can be pardoned but attacks on the police will not be forgiven,” he said.
