A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has reached Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to monitor suspicious movements around the tomb of Aurangzeb in Khuldabad. The visit comes in the wake of violent clashes in Nagpur on March 17, which erupted over calls for the removal of the tomb. The NIA, along with the state Anti-Terrorist Squad, has also expanded its surveillance to Parbhani, Jalna, Nanded, and Buldhana districts to assess potential security threats. Meanwhile, the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) has taken precautionary steps by installing tin sheets around the 18th-century structure. The district administration moved swiftly after a visit by district collector Dilip Swami and superintendent of police Vinaykumar Rathod, reinforcing the site’s status as a “Monument of National Importance.”
The Nagpur police have taken firm action against individuals linked to the violence, registering a sedition case against Fahim Khan, identified as the mastermind, along with five others. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Lohit Matani revealed that more than 300 social media accounts were scrutinized in connection with the riots, of which 140 were flagged for inflammatory content. Authorities believe that provocative posts played a crucial role in escalating the violence. Additionally, Maharashtra Cyber, the state’s nodal agency for cybercrime enforcement, has been actively tracking digital platforms. In coordination with the Nagpur City Cyber Police, they have issued takedown notices under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, 2000, and Section 94 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, to identify and take legal action against individuals spreading hate speech and inciting unrest online.
The developments surrounding Aurangzeb’s tomb have reignited political and communal debates, with several leaders demanding the government clarify its stance on maintaining historical sites associated with contentious figures. BJP MLA Raja Singh has urged the Centre to stop allocating funds for the tomb’s upkeep, arguing that public money should not be spent on preserving structures linked to figures with a controversial legacy. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies remain on high alert, anticipating further disturbances as online rhetoric continues to fuel tensions. The situation underscores the broader challenges of balancing historical preservation with contemporary political sensitivities, as authorities navigate a volatile climate of digital propaganda and ground-level unrest.
