India Implements Indefinite Curfew After Hindu-Muslim Conflicts Over a 17th-Century Ruler’s Tomb

In India, violent battles over a tomb from the 17th century wrecked cars and injured police, leading to an indefinite curfew.

After violent fights that injured over a dozen police officers, authorities in Nagpur, India, have enforced an indefinite curfew. Tensions between various ethnicities were sparked by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu organization, demanding the destruction of a mausoleum belonging to a Mughal monarch from the 17th century.

When VHP activists conducted a protest in adjacent Aurangabad on Monday, burning an effigy of Emperor Aurangzeb while chanting slogans demanding the evacuation of his mausoleum, fights broke out. After Muslim groups marched toward a police station and threw stones at cops, the situation became more heated.

An unnamed police officer claimed that numerous cars were set on fire and that the violence caused significant property damage. One of the at least fifteen police officers hurt is still in critical condition. According to witnesses, some of the attackers were wearing masks and were carrying bottles and sharp objects.

Maharashtra’s chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, denounced the disturbances and promised firm action in response to the growing violence.

In a video statement, Fadnavis urged authorities to restore order, saying, “I have instructed the police commissioner to take whatever severe measures are required.”

However, the VHP denied any role in the violence. Milind Parande, the group’s general secretary, supported their demand, saying that they want to replace the tomb with a memorial that honors the local Maratha community’s monarch.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological forerunner of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has its headquarters in Nagpur. The same network of Hindu nationalist groups is connected to the VHP.

For a long time, Modi’s detractors have charged that his administration discriminates against Muslims and does nothing to stop organizations that target them. However, the administration has refuted these claims on numerous occasions.

While efforts to return the city to normalcy continue, authorities are implementing stringent security measures to prevent additional violence as tensions remain high.