Nagpur Violence: Cops Arrest 7 More Taking Total Number of Arrests To 112

Nagpur: Nagpur Police, on Saturday, arrested seven more people including a leader of the Minority Democratic Party (MDP) for their alleged involvement in the recent violence that broke out in the city.

112 Arrested So Far

As per the cops, the total number of arrests now stood at 112. Besides, MDP’s Executive President, Hamid Engineer, and Mohammad Shahzad Khan have been charged with sedition.

According to the Cyber Police, the Engineer and Shahzad were allegedly involved in spreading false information on social media about the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) protest on March 17.

Also read: Nagpur Violence: 38-Year-Old Irfan Ansari Succumbs To Injuries At Mayo Hospital

The VHP had staged a protest seeking the removal of the tomb of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Earlier, cops had arrested the prime accused MDP chief Fahim Khan on sedition charges.

CM Warns of 'Bulldozer' Action

In the aftermath of the violence, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the government would recover the cost of property damaged during the clashes from the rioters.

Fadnavis even warned of ‘bulldozer’ action against the accused saying, “Wherever required, bulldozers will also be used."

Accused Sought Donations Ahead of Riots?

Further investigation by the cops also revealed that Engineer had even sought donations ahead of the riots in the city.

Earlier in the day, 38-year-old Irfan Ansari, who was injured in the deadly violence that broke out in Nagpur, lost his life. Ansari succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at Indira Gandhi Government Medical College & Hospital (IGGMCH).

What Led To Violence?

Tensions escalated days after the release of Vicky Kaushal’s movie Chaava, which reignited historical disputes. On Monday, March 17, violence erupted in several parts of Nagpur as rioters engaged in large-scale stone-pelting and arson following rumours that a ‘chaadar’ with holy inscriptions had been burnt during VHP-led protests.

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