A deserted street seen through a broken glass pane during the third day of curfew, days after violence broke out following an agitation by a right-wing group demanding removal of Aurangzeb's tomb, in Nagpur.
Credit: PTI Photo
Nagpur: A week after Nagpur was hit by communal riots, JCB machines rolled out amid unprecedented security arrangements and demolished a house belonging to Fahim Khan, the alleged mastermind of the riots, on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court ordered a stay on the demolition of the houses of Fahim Khan and another accused, rapping the administration for “high-handedness".
However, before the order came, the job of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) was over amid water-tight security arrangements by the Nagpur City Police - at Khan’s two-storey row-house located at Sanjay Bagh Colony in Yashodhara Nagar area here, registered in the name of Khan’s mother.
Besides, some illegal portion of a property belonging to another accused Yusuf Shaikh in the Mahal area was demolished. However, the process had to be halted as the court order came in by that time.
The action comes a couple of days after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state’s Home Minister, warned of “bulldozer action” and recovery of the damages from the accused persons.
Khan moved the high court on Monday against the demolition seeking an urgent hearing after which a division bench of Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Vrushali Joshi heard the plea. “The action was taken in a high-handed manner, without giving a hearing to the owners of the property, the bench noted,” the bench said.
Advocate Ashwin Ingole, appearing for Khan, said the court has sought a response from the government and civic authorities and posted the matter for further hearing on April 15.
Meanwhile, the situation was completely normal in Nagpur, however, tight security arrangements were in place, particularly the areas, which were hit by violence.
The March 17, 2025 communal flare up took place hours after Right-wing organisations including Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal gave a call to raze the grave of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb located in Khuldabad in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. During the protests, some videos and rumours went viral in social media platforms triggering the violence.
One person has died in the violence.
So far, over 100 persons have been arrested including Khan, a leader of the Minority Democratic Party, who has been booked for sedition.
A few days back, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation issued a notice to Khan, citing various lapses and lack of the building plan approval.
The house was located on a plot of Nagpur Improvement Trust (Lease) and the lease ended in 2020.There was no sanction plan for the building and the entire construction was unauthorised, the source said, adding the action was being taken under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act.
“We have given the necessary notice before the demolition was undertaken,” NMC Assistant Municipal Commissioner Harish Raut said.
A strong posse of police officers and personnel were present when the demolition took place.
Two shops linked to the accused too were sealed a couple of days ago - as part of the action.