Nagpur violence: Muslim leaders seek impartial probe, urge CM to meet representatives

Nagpur: Members of the Muslim community in Nagpur have condemned the violence in Vidarbha’s largest city earlier this week and sought an impartial probe into it, claiming that timely action by police could have prevented it.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, they said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should meet representatives of both communities in a bid to establish peace.
Large-scale stone pelting and arson were reported in several parts of Nagpur on Monday evening after rumours began circulating about a ‘chadar’ with holy inscriptions being burnt during protests led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) seeking the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb.
“Efforts are being made to provoke the Muslim community through various means in the last two to three years. A minister has been continuously raising the topic of Aurangzeb. The Muslim community has no connection to Aurangzeb and has remained calm,” Dr Mohammad Awes Hasan said at the press conference.
He alleged that right-wing outfits burnt a ‘chadar’ with Islamic verses on it which prompted members of the Muslim community to approach the police demanding action against them. However, when police did not take any step, some of them became agitated, he said.
Meanwhile, a local court here has remanded 17 persons arrested in connection with the violence in the city in police custody till March 22, noting the “seriousness of the offence” and that “prima facie the accusation against them was well-founded”.
The accused were produced on Thursday night before magistrate Maimuna Sultana during which the police sought their custody for seven days. The court, however, granted custody only for two days.
The persons have been arrested in connection with an FIR registered by the Ganeshpeth police.
The court in its order said the offences levelled against the accused were “serious in nature” and hence their custodial interrogation was required.