Nagpur Police have arrested Fahim Shamim Khan, a local leader of the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP), naming him as the mastermind behind the communal violence that erupted in the city on 17 March.
The clashes left several people injured and led to widespread unrest.
Khan, who serves as the city president of the MDP, was taken into custody on Wednesday, just hours after his name was officially added to an FIR registered at Ganeshpeth Police Station.
His arrest follows the release of a video in which he was allegedly seen delivering an inflammatory speech shortly before the violence broke out. The police claim that this speech directly contributed to the escalation of tensions between communities in the area.
A resident of Sanjay Bagh Colony in Yashodhara Nagar, Khan has been remanded to police custody until 21 March. Senior police officials stated that preliminary investigations, along with video evidence, indicate that his speech played a key role in inciting the violence.
Khan had previously contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Nagpur constituency as an MDP candidate. He faced senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in the polls but suffered a significant defeat, losing by over 6.5 lakh votes.
The violence in Nagpur's Chitnis Park area erupted following rumours that a community’s holy book had been desecrated during a right-wing protest. The demonstration was held to demand the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
The situation quickly escalated, with mobs pelting stones at the police, leading to injuries among 34 officers.
A complaint was subsequently lodged against the protesters, accusing them of hurting the religious sentiments of a community. An FIR was registered based on the complaint, although no arrests have been made so far.
Despite the recent unrest, senior officials have stated that the law and order situation in Nagpur is now under control. However, curfews remain in place across several sensitive areas of the city.
Authorities have also deployed more than 2,000 armed police personnel to maintain peace and prevent any further violence.
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