Nagpur Violence Mastermind Arrested, Once Contested Against Gadkari In Maharashtra

Fahim Khan is the city president of the Minority Democratic Party (MDP). He contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from the Nagpur constituency against Union Minister and BJP leader Nitin Gadkari.

Police have identified Fahim Khan as the mastermind behind Nagpur violence.

Source : X@RShivshankar

The Nagpur Police on Wednesday identified the alleged mastermind behind the communal clashes which broke out in Nagpur on March 17 (Monday), injuring several people, including cops. The first photo of Fahim Samim Khan, the accused, has also been released. He was later arrested by the police.

It is being alleged that the 38-year-old accused gathered 400 to 500 people of his community near the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at around 4 PM on the day of the clashes with the intention of inciting riots.

The police personnel deployed in the area had repeatedly announced through speakers, asking the mob to disperse from the spot, saying that gathering was illegal. However, the mob brandished axes, stones, sticks, and other weapons in a bid to create tension and fear amongst the people in the area, thereby creating religious animosity which escalated the clashes.

Fahim Khan — Nagpur Violence 'Mastermind' Who Contested LS Polls Against Gadkari

Fahim Khan is the city president of the Minority Democratic Party (MDP). He contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from the Nagpur constituency, representing the MDP. Notably, he competed against senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, but was defeated by a massive margin of more than 6.5 lakhs votes.

Khan is a resident of Sanjay Bagh Colony in Nagpur's Yashodhara Nagar. He has been officially named in the FIR filed in connection with the violent clashes in the city on Monday. According to the FIR, a crowd of 50-60 people gathered at the police station as situation started turning violent.

According to preliminary probe, Khan allegedly delivered a provocative speech shortly before the clashes erupted, which the police claims incited communal tensions in the area, leading to violence.

Violence broke out in central Nagpur's Chitnis Park in Mahal area on Monday at around 7:30 PM, with stones hurled at police after rumours spread that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing body for the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. The clashes quickly escalated, with mobs pelting stones at police, leaving 34 personnel injured.

Meanwhile, the Judicial Magistrate First Class court on Wednesday remanded 19 accused to police custody till March 21. The Nagpur violence accused had been produced before the court a day earlier.

The law and order situation in Nagpur is said to be under control. However, a curfew continues on day two across many sensitive areas of the city. A police official told news agency PTI that over 2,000 armed police personnel have been deployed in the sensitive areas.