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Row over Aurangzeb’s tomb: Nagpur flare-up occurred after hours of mayhem in Mahal

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Nagpur/Mumbai, March 18: As various parts of Nagpur remain under curfew following communal tension over the Aurangzeb tomb controversy, it has been learnt that the unrest began in the early hours of Monday in Mahal, one of the oldest localities of the city.

The Police prevented the chaos from deepening into communal strife but as the evening set in, the ‘charged atmosphere’ in some localities resulted in wide-scale violence by the mob.

Senior-rank police officers including 3 DCPs and 1 SP were injured in stone-pelting and vandalism incidents, while more than 32 vehicles were set ablaze by the mob, which apparently got instigated over the reported desecration of ‘chadar’ with holy texts written on it.

According to the police report, the violence didn’t happen all of a sudden. The tensions simmered since morning and reached a boiling point with the onset of dusk.

Here is a detailed break-up of how the communal unrest happened.

Initial reports attributed the violence in parts of Nagpur to rumours of the desecration of a holy book, during a demonstration by Hindu outfit members demanding the removal of Mughal ruler Aurganzeb’s tomb in the Khuldabad area.

media is in possession of the police report, which narrates the chain of events and ‘triggers’ leading to communal unrest and violence.

As per the Nagpur police report, a group of locals had assembled in the Mahal area at around 11.30 a.m. to protest against the alleged sacrilege of the holy chadar, however, they were denied permission and also persuaded by the cops to return.

The gathering of the Muslim community was followed by a demonstration by VHP and Bajrang Dal members on Monday morning, who raised slogans against the Mughal ruler and called for razing of the Aurangzeb’s tomb.

The police also booked some of these protestors from the Hindu outfits under Section 227, Section 37 (1) (3) and Section 229.

The unrest that started in the morning, erupted into alarming proportions after the noon namaz, at around 1.30 p.m.

About 200-250 Muslims gathered near Shivaji Maharaj’s statue in Nagpur’s Mahal area, where police personnel were already present.

They claimed that the VHP and Bajran Dal supporters had burnt a ‘chadar’ (green cloth) with sacred verses written on it. With tempers rising on both sides, the situation could have escalated into a serious communal flare-up but the police intervened and prevented the crowd from going on rampage.

Following this, leaders from the Muslim community lodged a complaint with the police station and were given assurance by the top cop of stringent action on the ‘rogue elements’, responsible for hurting their religious beliefs.

However, the situation again turned volatile as more than 200 people, from the specific community, with their faces covered and armed with rods, hit the streets in the Hansapuri area and went on a rampage, torching vehicles and vandalizing public properties.

The mob of protesters not only raised provocative slogans but also pelted stones at shops and houses in the area.

According to police reports, more than a dozen vehicles were torched and many shops vandalized by the mob.

A communal flare-up was reported from Tehsil Agrasen Chowk, where the members of two communities engaged in slogan-shouting and stone-pelting. A person was injured in stone-pelting while many vehicles were burnt and damaged.

In the Ganesh Peth area also, hooligans and vandals run amok on the streets and pelted stones at the police personnel. Attempts were also made to set the police vehicles on fire. Police tried to disperse the crowd but they came under attack by the stone-pelters.

According to police inputs, at least one crane, 2 JCBs, 3 cars, and more than 20 motorcycles were burnt while public properties were damaged by the unruly mob.

More than 47 protesters have been taken into custody so far. Many police officials including senior officers to the rank of DCP and SP were injured in violence by the mob. At least 33 policemen are reported to have suffered injuries, with 14-15 suffering serious injuries.

The Nagpur police have also launched a massive manhunt to apprehend the stone pelters and vandals, who attacked the police and fire brigade personnel. A huge contingent of SRPF and RAF personnel remains deployed in sensitive zones to keep the situation under control and prevent any further flare-ups.

Meanwhile, the areas of Nagpur where curfew has been imposed include Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, Lakadganj, Pachpaoali, Shantinagar, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Imamwada, Yashodhara Nagar and Kapil Nagar.

People have been asked to stay indoors and not pay heed to rumours.

Crime

ED conducts raids in Rs 200-crore bank fraud, benami assets case linked to Sasikala

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ED

Chennai, Sep 18: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday launched extensive searches in Chennai and Hyderabad in connection with a money laundering probe into an alleged Rs 200 crore bank fraud and benami property dealings linked to V. K. Sasikala, the confidante of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.

Officials confirmed that the searches covered at least ten locations across the two cities.

The premises, according to the source, are connected to a businessman who has been identified as an alleged benami of Sasikala. The raids were conducted under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The investigation stems from a case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which had earlier filed an FIR over what it described as fraudulent banking transactions running into hundreds of crores.

Acting on this, the ED initiated its own money laundering probe to trace the flow of funds and identify properties suspected to have been acquired through illegal means or in the names of benami holders.

Sources said officials are seizing documents, financial records, property deeds and electronic evidence from the searched locations. These materials will be examined to establish links between the bank fraud and assets allegedly concealed through benami arrangements.

While the extent of seizures is not yet clear, officials indicated that the raids were aimed at unearthing the full scale of transactions connected to the case.

The action once again puts Sasikala back in the spotlight. A key player in Tamil Nadu politics for decades, she has previously faced allegations and legal battles over disproportionate assets.

The ED’s current move revives scrutiny into her financial networks, particularly through associates and business entities suspected to have acted as fronts.

Investigators are likely to expand the probe depending on the findings from the ongoing searches. If evidence of laundering or concealment is confirmed, assets may be provisionally attached under PMLA, and further charges could follow.

The raids have drawn political attention as well, with observers noting that the timing and the scale of the operation underscore the central agency’s renewed focus on high-profile economic offences in Tamil Nadu.

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Crime

Thane Crime: Shahapur Police Arrest 2 Individuals For Beating 47-Year-Old Man To Death Over Petty Dispute

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Thane: The Shahapur Police have arrested two individuals for allegedly assaulting a man to death over a petty dispute. The deceased has been identified as Ramdash Gorkhane (47), a resident of Pradhan Pada in Shahapur, Thane district.

The accused have been identified as Sunil Nimase and Dhananjay Sugir. The body was found at Ratandale village near the Nagpur–Samruddhi Expressway on Tuesday.

According to the police, the victim and four accused were drinking a liquor together when they later went to the victim’s residence to take a villager’s hen. An altercation broke out, which escalated into physical violence.

The accused allegedly dragged the victim into their Scorpio car and assaulted him with fists and blows about 1.5 km from the spot. Later they have dumped him in unconscious condition at the location and fled the scene.

The body was discovered on Tuesday morning by villagers. Local villagers alerted the police, who rushed to the scene and sent him to a nearby hospital in Shahapur, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Mukesh Dhage, Senior Police Inspector of Shahapur Police Station, said, “So far, we have arrested two accused and launched a manhunt for the remaining suspects. Based on information from the victim’s nephew, a murder case has been registered. Further investigation is underway.”

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Crime

Mumbai Police Bust Fake Goregaon Call Centre Defrauding Foreigners; 13 Held

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The Mumbai Crime Branch Unit 12 has uncovered a major scam targeting foreign nationals, following a raid on an unauthorised call centre in Goregaon. The update was first shared by Mumbai Police on X, highlighting how unsuspecting victims were tricked into paying large sums of money under the pretext of antivirus software renewal.

Investigations revealed that the accused were sending fraudulent emails, posing as legitimate antivirus renewal alerts. Once the victims responded, they were coerced into purchasing gift cards ranging between $250 and $500. These cards were then redeemed and converted into cryptocurrency, making it nearly impossible for victims to track their losses.

The racket primarily preyed on foreign nationals unfamiliar with the setup. Officials said the scam was designed to create panic among users by suggesting that their computer security had expired, pressuring them into making quick payments.

During the raid, police seized 15 desktop computers, 10 laptops, and 20 mobile phones used to run the fraudulent operations. Documents and data recovered from the systems are now being examined to determine the scale of the fraud and to identify additional victims.

Thirteen individuals have been arrested in connection with the racket. This includes two owners who were running the operation, one manager overseeing daily activities, and ten tele-caller agents responsible for contacting and convincing the victims. Police said the arrests mark a significant step in cracking down on cybercrime networks exploiting international victims.

The Mumbai Police emphasised that this bust highlights the evolving nature of cybercrime and the need for continuous vigilance. Authorities added that further investigations are underway to uncover links with larger international fraud syndicates.

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