Nagpur: Nagpur Police on Wednesday arrested Fahim Shamim Khan, a local leader of the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP), identified as the alleged mastermind behind the communal violence that erupted in the city on March 17, leaving several people injured.
Khan’s arrest came just hours after his name was officially included in an FIR registered at Ganeshpeth Police Station. Earlier in the day, police released his photograph and a video surfaced showing Khan allegedly delivering an inflammatory speech moments before the violence broke out.
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Wednesday 19 March 2025
The 38-year-old leader, who is the Nagpur President of the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP) and a resident of Sanjaybagh Colony in Yashodhara Nagar, has been remanded to police custody until March 21.
According to senior police officials, preliminary investigations and the video evidence suggest Khan’s provocative speech directly contributed to the escalation of tensions, triggering clashes between communities in the area.
Fahim Khan contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from the Nagpur constituency, representing the Minorities Democratic Party. Notably, he ran against senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, but lost by a huge margin of over 6.5 lakhs votes.
Violence flared in Nagpur’s Chitnis Park area on Monday as clashes broke out over rumours of a community’s holy book being desecrated during a right-wing protest demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The unrest quickly escalated, with mobs pelting stones at police, leaving 34 personnel injured.
A complaint was lodged against the protesters after the agitation, accusing them of hurting the religious sentiments of a community. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered. Notably, no arrests have been made so far.
Meanwhile, a senior official said that the law and order situation in Nagpur is under control, but a curfew continues in many sensitive areas of the city. Another official told a news agency that more than 2,000 armed police personnel have been deployed in the sensitive areas.
The FIR reportedly states that Fahim Khan played a key role in mobilising the crowd, according to the TV news channel report. During the recent clashes, protesters, armed with axes, stones, sticks and other dangerous weapons, stormed the area, creating panic. Their actions were allegedly aimed at disturbing social harmony and inciting religious tensions.
Violence & assault on police by mob
According to the police, the mob launched a brutal attack in the Bhaldarpura Chowk area, targeting officers with stones and weapons. To discourage police action, they reportedly prepared and hurled petrol bombs. Amid the chaos, some members of the crowd took advantage of the darkness to harass female police personnel.
The FIR also mentions that an officer from the Rapid Response Team (RCP) was physically harassed, while other women officers were subjected to obscene gestures and inappropriate comments. The situation escalated as the mob attacked vehicles, set cars ablaze and vandalised properties in the area.
