Days after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hinted at strict action against rioters, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Monday demolished the illegally constructed house of Fahim Khan, the alleged mastermind behind the recent communal violence in Mahal, Hansapuri, and Bhaldarpura.
On Saturday, March 22, when asked whether bulldozer action—similar to Uttar Pradesh’s approach—would be implemented in Nagpur, CM Fadnavis stated that action would be taken “when the time is right.” Just days later, authorities launched a crackdown.
Fahim Khan, the city president of the Minority Democratic Party (MDP), had allegedly built an illegal structure on Plot No. 61/A in Sanjay Bagh Colony, Yashodhara Nagar. The NMC had earlier issued a notice in the name of Mahirunissa Shamim Khan, with a copy delivered to Fahim Khan’s residence. Officials confirmed that approximately 900 square feet of the property was unauthorized, leading to its demolition.
Fahim Khan was apprehended last Monday on charges of conspiring and inciting violence during the March 17 riots. He has also been booked for sedition, with police conducting a detailed probe into his alleged role.
The riots erupted after Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists held a demonstration at Shivaji Chowk near Gandhi Gate in Mahal, demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb. Following the violence, police seized the mobile phones of Fahim Khan and his associate, Hameed Engineer, to investigate potential links to organized networks from Bangladesh.
The demolition of Khan’s house has fueled discussions about whether Nagpur is adopting Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath’s bulldozer policy against alleged criminals. With authorities now targeting illegally built properties linked to individuals accused of inciting violence, the move is being viewed as a possible precedent for future actions in Maharashtra.
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