- Wednesday, March 19, 2025
While attacking the police personnel, a group of people tried to inappropriately touch a woman constable and passed vulgar comments against other police women
By: India Weekly
A GROUP of rioters allegedly touched a woman constable inappropriately and tried to disrobe her during the violence that broke out in Nagpur city after protests demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, officials said on Wednesday (19).
The mob also hurled petrol bombs at the police during the violence, they said, adding that the police have so far arrested 51 rioters and slapped a total of 57 sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against them, they said.
Violence erupted in central Nagpur’s Chitnis Park in Mahal area on Monday around 7.30 pm, with stones hurled at police amid rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing body.
“A total of five FIRs have been registered in Nagpur in connection with the violence. One of the FIRs filed at the Ganeshpeth police station says that a group of people gathered at the Bhaldarpura chowk in the city and started attacking the police personnel. The crowd also hurled petrol bombs and stones at the police staff,” an official said.
“Taking advantage of the darkness, the group tried to touch a woman constable of the Riot Control Police (RCP) and her uniform, and tried to disrobe her.
“They used abusive language and passed vulgar remarks against other women police personnel. The rioters also made objectionable gestures towards them and attacked them,” he said.
Curfew continues to remain in force in many sensitive areas of the city in the wake of the violence.
Police Commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal said the situation will be reviewed later.
Another official said that more than 2,000 armed police personnel have been deployed in the sensitive areas.
Similarly, the QRT (quick response team) and RCP (riot control police) are conducting patrolling led by a DCP-rank officer, he said.
FIR against VHP, Bajrang Dal functionaries
The police have also registered a case against some office-bearers of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal for allegedly hurting religious sentiments during their protest, officials said on Tuesday (18).
The first information report (FIR) was registered at the Ganeshpeth police station against Govind Shende, VHP’s secretary in-charge of Maharashtra and Goa and others, they said.
A complaint was lodged against the protesters after the agitation, accusing them of hurting the religious sentiments of a community.
Others named in the FIR against VHP and Bajrang Dal office-bearers include Amol Thakre, Dr Mahajan, Tayani, Rajat Puri, Sushil, Vrushabh Arkhel, Shubham and Mukesh Barapatre under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), he said.
But no arrest has been made so far, he said.
The VHP said it won’t tolerate any attempts to glorify Aurangzeb and claimed the violence in Nagpur was pre-planned.
VHP Vidarbha Prant Sah Mantri Devesh Mishra told reporters that the administration should take stern action against those responsible for clashes and invoke National Security Act.
He also rubbished claims of a ‘chadar’ with holy inscriptions being burnt during protests led by VHP and Bajrang Dal in Nagpur, which apparently triggered clashes. (PTI)
