In an alleged extra-judicial move against the main accused in the March 17 unrest, authorities on Monday launched a demolition drive at the residence of Faheem Khan, ANI reported. The demolition operation was conducted in the presence of a heavy police force as the bulldozers crushed down sections of Khan’s home.
The action comes after Khan failed to comply with a 24-hour deadline set by the municipal corporation to remove the alleged unauthorised structure, ANI reported.
https://x.com/ANI/status/1904040288286601403
The violent incident escalated on a demand to remove the grave of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, turning into a full-scale riot. Mobs were seen throwing stones, setting vehicles on fire, and damaging public property. The unrest was reportedly triggered by misinformation on social media, which falsely claimed that a holy book had been burnt.
According to ANI, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed that 92 people have been arrested till now. He blamed social media for playing a major role in spreading the fake news that fuelled the violence.
Fadnavis during a media briefing stated, ‘’A case was already registered after Aurangzeb’s tomb was set ablaze. But rumours were then spread online, especially via podcast and social media posts that a holy ‘chadar’ had been burnt. That misinformation led to stone-pelting attack on shops, torching vehicles in Nagpur.’’
He added that the state would recover the cost of the damages from the rioters. “If the rioters refuse to pay, we will recover losses by auctioning their property. Bulldozer action will be taken wherever required,” he stated.
The Cyber Cell of Maharashtra Police found out that Faheem Khan, a leader of the Minorities Democratic Party is the main person involved in the violence. He was accused of editing and disseminating provocative videos that stir up the unrest.
He edited and shared the footage from the protest which glorified the violence, helping the riots to spread, DCP Lohit Matani told ANI.
Khan is currently in police custody and was arrested on March 19. The demolition of his residence marks the state’s stern stand against those inciting communal tension.
The Supreme Court in November last year issued a set of guidelines to ensure that proper legal procedures are followed before demolishing citizens’ properties. These directives were part of the court’s ruling in a case that questioned the legality of demolitions carried out by state authorities as a punitive measure against property owners accused of crimes. The verdict was delivered by a Bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan.
(With inputs from ANI)