Maharashtra has witnessed 823 incidents of communal unrest since January 2025, with violent clashes in Nagpur and tensions sparked by demands for the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb, along with the spread of misinformation on social media, officials reported.
In recent days, communal unrest has been recorded in multiple districts, including Nandurbar, Pune (Rural), Ratnagiri, Sangli, Beed, and Satara. The flashpoint has been the right-wing organizations’ demand for the demolition of the tomb of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.
According to police officials, 156 criminal cases related to communal unrest were registered in January, 99 in February, and 78 until mid-March. Of these, 102 were classified as cognizable crimes related to religious disputes. In total, Maharashtra recorded 4,836 Hindu-Muslim-related communal incidents in 2024, with 170 categorized as cognizable crimes and 3,106 as non-cognizable cases. Additionally, 371 incidents were linked to religious insults.
One of the most significant incidents occurred in Nagpur on March 17, where mobs went on a rampage following a protest by Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad. The protestors demanded the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb, branding it as a “symbol of pain and slavery.”
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently told the state legislature that the upcoming film “Chhaava,” starring Vicky Kaushal and based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, had reignited public emotions against Aurangzeb.
Authorities have identified inflammatory social media posts and rumors as key instigators of communal tensions. Maharashtra Cyber has flagged 144 links across Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube that carried incendiary content related to the Nagpur riots. Of these, 37 links were removed, while action was taken against 107 others by issuing notifications.
This story was originally published in muslimmirror.com. Read the full story here.
