Violence erupted in Nagpur after a right-wing outfit called for the removal of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb’s tomb. Residents recounted how houses were vandalized and vehicles torched, alleging delayed police response. A BJP lawmaker accused authorities of abandoning "Hindu citizens" during the unrest.

Earlier, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged protests in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, burning Aurangzeb’s photo wrapped in a green cloth, which led to rumors of sacred verses being desecrated, escalating tensions.

Clashes began around 7:30 PM in Chitnis Park, with stone-pelting injuring several people. A mob vandalized cars and homes before fleeing. Another attack in Hansapuri saw vehicles and a clinic set ablaze.

To control the situation, a curfew was imposed in parts of Nagpur, restricting large gatherings.

Sharad Gupta, who runs a grocery store in the violence hit area said he had closed his shop at 10:30 and had just sit down to eat when he heard strange loud noises from outside that rattled him. “I saw cars were being pushed out and set on fire. Three people barged into a house but ran away when the residents screamed. They attacked me with stones when I came with a water hose to douse the fire. I called the police multiple times, but they came after the culprits ran away” he said.

Another eyewitness who lives in the Hansapuri area said that the culprits were masked and had sharp weapons and rods with them. “They started chaos in the area when they came, and vandalized shops and threw stones. They also torched vehicles,” she added.