Nagpur Violence: Police Form 18 Special Teams to Hunt Down 1,000 Suspects

In the wake of the violence that unfolded in Nagpur on March 17, the police have formed 18 special teams to track down and arrest those involved in the unrest. As of Thursday, 69 individuals have been arrested in connection with the violence; a curfew still remains in place in multiple areas to prevent any further untoward flare ups.

Authorities have identified 200 suspects related to the riots, with efforts ongoing to identify an additional 1,000 individuals captured on CCTV footage.

On the day of the violence, five First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed at the Ganeshpeth and Kotwali police stations, naming 200 suspects. Nagpur’s Commissioner of Police, Dr. Ravinder Kumar Singal, said on Wednesday that the special teams involved in the investigation include personnel from the Ganeshpeth, Kotwali, and Tehsil police stations, as well as the Crime Branch. "The teams are also working closely with the cyber cell to help identify the suspects," another official added.

One of the individuals arrested is Fahim Khan, a leader of the Minority Democratic Party (MDP), who is accused of leading a protest outside a Nagpur police station on March 17. Police records show that Khan has faced previous allegations, including cases of electricity theft and involvement in protests in 2023-2024. The FIR states that Khan led a group of 50 to 60 people who unlawfully gathered outside the Ganeshpeth police station to submit a memorandum against a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) protest that had occurred earlier in the day. The group then proceeded to the Bhaldarpura area, where they joined 500 to 600 people in a demonstration. Khan was later arrested for his involvement.

The violence, which erupted on Monday night, left 33 police personnel, including three Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), injured. Mobs rampaged through the city, damaging vehicles, hurling petrol bombs and stones at police, and attacking houses. Rumors about a ‘chadar’ with holy inscriptions being burned during protests led by right wing groups—calling for the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district—were believed to be the initial trigger for the violence. According to an FIR, some rioters allegedly misbehaved with a woman constable and attempted to disrobe her during the chaos.