On Tuesday, law enforcement registered six FIRs against approximately 1,200 individuals, including members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, in connection with the burning of an effigy of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb that incited arson late Monday. Although over 50 people have been apprehended, ten police teams have been formed to pursue additional suspects. Out of the 70 individuals injured during the clashes, two, identified as 17-year-old Raza Yousuf Khan and 40-year-old Imran Ansari, are currently fighting for their lives in a government hospital, both reliant on ventilator support after being caught in the violence.
Disturbing reports have emerged from the riot-affected areas, including an attack on two female police officers. One officer was trapped in a narrow alley at Bhaldarpura, where she was assaulted and had her uniform ripped, though she managed to avert a more severe attack. Another officer, ACP Anita More, faced a barrage of stones while cornered in a side street. DCP Niketan Kadam, an IPS officer from the 2019 batch, was assaulted with an axe by a 15-year-old boy in Hansapuri; the assailant aimed for his neck but Kadam was able to defend himself, sustaining serious injuries that necessitated emergency surgery at New Era Hospital later that evening. In total, around 34 police officers, including four DCPs, were injured in the unrest.
To combat the spread of misinformation, a specialized cyber police unit has been established, as confirmed by CP Singal, who also noted that all access routes to Mahal have been sealed and security has been heightened throughout the city. Many educational institutions, with at least 100 schools and colleges in curfew-affected regions, remained closed, and operators of school bus fleets refrained from running their services. District education officer Rohini Kumbhar indicated that schools, both within and outside the curfew zone, are authorized to declare holidays based on their evaluations of the local circumstances.
With the CBSE Class 12 economics exam set for Wednesday, district collector Dr. Vipin Itankar assured that examinees would not face travel restrictions. The riots have caused significant destruction, with more than 50 vehicles, including two JCBs, either burned or vandalized. Reports indicate that Assistant Commandant of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Vikas Kumar Jha, faced intense stone-throwing while driving through Bhagwagar Chowk, resulting in substantial damage to his official Scorpio vehicle. Furthermore, two homeguards were nearly attacked while trying to separate rival stone-pelting factions.
Two police vehicles were set ablaze near Geetanjali Chowk, along with two cranes involved in ongoing road construction, which were targeted with petrol bombs. One rioter was beaten by opposing groups but narrowly escaped serious harm when police intervened and transported him to a hospital. In a significant legal response, over 650 rioters were charged in a single FIR at the Ganeshpeth police station, involving 57 sections under the BNS. Police sources reported that 51 members of a minority democratic party have also been implicated in the unrest. As the situation remains unstable, police are actively engaged in patrols and surveillance operations. Security checkpoints have been established in sensitive areas, and armed officers are monitoring the streets to deter any further violence. On Tuesday evening, city police conducted route marches in sensitive areas of Central Nagpur, urging residents to stay indoors and refrain from sharing unverified information online.An additional complaint was filed at the Tehsil police station against unidentified rioters for the damage and burning of around 12 vehicles, valued over Rs five lakhs, in Hansapuri during the riots. Furthermore, nearly 50 additional vehicles, hand carts, e-rickshaws, and various shops, clinics, and homes suffered damage in the same vicinity, particularly from rioters advancing from Kasabpura and Ganjikhet Chowk.
