Aurangzeb tomb row: How Mughal king’s final resting place has led to violent clashes in Nagpur

Aurangzeb, the longest reigning Mughal Emperor, died in 1707. Years and years later, his final resting place — his tomb — has become a hot topic and a cause of violence in the city of Nagpur in Maharashtra.

Prohibitory orders have been imposed in the city after violent clashes took place in which several houses and vehicles were vandalised and burnt and nine persons, including three policemen, were injured.

Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has appealed for peace, saying the police are managing the situation. “Nagpur is a peaceful city where people share in each other’s joys and sorrows, which has always been Nagpur’s tradition. Do not believe any rumours.”

But what exactly occurred on Monday? How is it linked to Aurangzeb’s tomb? We get you these answers and more.

How violence broke out in Nagpur

On Monday (March 17), violence erupted in central Nagpur in the Chitnis Park area around 7.30 pm with some individuals hurling stones at the police, injuring three police officials. Then another clash broke out in the Hansapuri area near the Old Bhandara Road between 10.30 pm to 11.30 pm.

An unruly mob burnt several vehicles, and vandalised houses and a clinic in the area.

Sharad Gupta, a resident of Hansapuri, told PTI news agency that the mob appeared between 10.30 and 11.30 and threw stones and torched vehicles. He added that he was injured in the attack and the mob also vandalised a neighbour’s shop.

Another resident recounted that the mob came to their home at around 10.30 pm and burnt their vehicles parked outside the house and a fire also broke out as they torched vehicles and properties. “We doused the fire by putting water from the first floor of our house before the fire brigade came,” she said.

According to one CNBCTV18 report, explosions could also be heard from vehicles that had been torched in the Mahal area.

The violence prompted the police to fire tear gas at the mob. Speaking on the violence, Archit Chandak, the deputy commissioner of police, Nagpur, said: “Stone pelting was taking place, so we displayed a show of force and also used tear gas…A few vehicles were set ablaze, we doused the fire by calling the fire brigade… A few police personnel were injured, and I too sustained a little injury in my leg during stone pelting. But we urge everyone to maintain peace.”

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VIDEO | Visuals from Nagpur where violence erupted on Monday as stones were hurled at police. The city saw several incidents of stone-pelting and arson.

(Source: Third Party)#NagpurViolence pic.twitter.com/sr37c1dxxE

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 17, 2025

The authorities added that the stretch from Chitnis Park to Shukrawari Talao was most affected by violence and some four-wheelers were set ablaze.

Following the violence, the authorities have taken nearly 60 to 65 rioters, while another 17 people have been detained, reported India Today. Furthermore, additional personnel, including Quick Response Teams (QRT), Riot Control Police, and the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) — have been deployed to prevent further unrest.

Nagpur Commissioner of Police Dr Ravinder Singal added that Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (empowering magistrates to issue immediate preventive orders in urgent cases to prevent obstruction, danger to human life, public disturbance, or riots, and can be directed at individuals, specific areas, or the general public) has been imposed in the city.

Authorities on Nagpur clashes

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds Home portfolio for the state, has appealed for calm and urged people not to fall for rumours. “Everybody should maintain peace. The administration is taking all necessary measures.”

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who also represents Nagpur at the national level, also appealed for peace and calm in the area. In a video message posted on X, Gadkari said a situation of religious tension has arisen in Nagpur “due to certain rumour”.

“I assure you all that the government will take action against those who have committed mistakes or engaged in illegal activities. The chief minister has already been informed about this situation, so I request everyone not to pay attention to rumours,” he added.

Fellow Maharashtra minister and state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule also urged residents to prioritise peace. He emphasised that while an investigation will determine the cause of the violence, people should support the police in their efforts to maintain order. Bawankule called on political parties and leaders in Maharashtra to unite in promoting calm and reassuring the public that those responsible will be identified. He cautioned against politicising the incident, stressing the need to uphold Nagpur’s reputation.

VIDEO | Nagpur Violence: Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule (@cbawankule) says, "Strict action should be taken against those responsible for the situation in Nagpur. The police administration is monitoring the situation. Some police personnel have also been injured.… pic.twitter.com/1J1OkcISzM

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 17, 2025

Maharashtra Minority Commission Chairman Pyare Khan termed the violence as “unfortunate” and added that those responsible were not locals but outsiders who came to create unrest. “This is a very unfortunate incident, and such violence should not have happened in Nagpur, a place known for its saints. During Ram Navami, Muslims here set up tents to welcome Hindus. There is a Dargah where people from all religions — Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians — come to pray,” said Khan.

He alleged that the violence was caused by anti-social elements from outside the city. “The people involved in this violence are not from Nagpur. Some anti-social elements came from outside and created unrest,” he further claimed.

However, the opposition has slammed the state machinery, questioning the law and order situation. Shiv Sena(Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Aditya Thackeray called it the collapse of state machinery in Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s hometown. He wrote on X, “The law and order of the state has collapsed like never before. Nagpur, the home city of the CM and home minister, is facing this.”

Congress leader Pawan Khera also weighed in, saying, “Riot broke out in the Mahal area of Nagpur, the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister. Nagpur is a 300-year-old city. In those 300 years of history, no riot has occurred in Nagpur. We should all ask why such a situation formed. BJP is in power in both the Centre and State. If VHP and Bajrang Dal organised a protest demanding the removal of the tomb of Aurangzeb, did the Government make no arrangements to maintain law and order?”

Aurangzeb’s tomb — cause of the violence

But what was the cause of the violent clashes in Nagpur and how is Aurangzeb’s tomb connected to it?

The immediate cause for Monday’s violence was rumours that spread like wildfire that those opposing Aurangzeb’s tomb in the city — namely the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal — were burning the Quran. Videos of the Bajrang Dal demonstration quickly went viral on social media, leading to outrage among members of the Muslim community.

However, the bigger reason for the clashes is the demand from right-wing groups to demolish Aurangzeb’s tomb, which is situated in Khuldabad, in Aurangabad, now named as Sambhajinagar. It all began when earlier this month, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi claimed in the Maharashtra Assembly that some elements of the Vicky Kaushal-starrer film Chhaava, which depicts Chhatrapati Sambhaji’s battle with Aurangzeb, were incorrect and that Aurangzeb was, in fact, a good administrator.

But it’s not just right-wing groups that are calling for the demolition of the tomb. Leaders from the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, have also called for the tomb to go. For instance, Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji, called Aurangzeb a thief, and called for the tomb to be razed, asking people who like to visit the tomb to “take it to their homes”. Last week, Naresh Mhaske, an MP from Shinde’s Sena, made the same demand in the Lok Sabha.

And last week even Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis supported the call to demolish the tomb of the Mughal king. He, however, said this has to be done through the law since the previous Congress government had protected the tomb by handing it over to the Archaeological Society of India (ASI).

“We all also want the same thing, but you need to do it within the framework of the law because it is a protected site. The site was put under ASI’s protection during the Congress regime some years back,” the chief minister said.

Incidentally, this isn’t the first time that such calls have been made to raze Aurangzeb’s tomb from Khuldabad. In May 2022, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi visited and offered flowers at the tomb, after which the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) called for the structure to be demolished.

With inputs from agencies