Police arrested suspected Jihadis in their homes in India.

A group of suspected jihadists were captured following communal clashes in Nagpur, Maharashtra, on March 17 evening.

Footage shows the accused in handcuffs being escorted into police vehicles.

Tensions escalated after reports emerged of a Quran and a photograph being burned during a protest by Hindu groups demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb in Sambhaji Nagar. In response, Islamist mobs reportedly resorted to stone-pelting, arson, and vandalism, setting vehicles on fire and damaging public property.

At least 15 police officers and five civilians were reportedly injured in the clashes.

The violence intensified on March 18 when Islamist rioters allegedly targeted Hindu groups, further escalating communal tensions. The demand to remove Aurangzeb's tomb, a ruler known for his Islamic supremacist policies, was met with a violent backlash, with Muslim mobs engaging in widespread arson and vandalism across the city.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) National Spokesperson Vinod Bansal condemned the violence and reiterated the Hindu rights group's demand to replace Aurangzeb's grave with a memorial dedicated to Dhanaji Jadhav, Santaji Ghorpade, and Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj.

He said: 'The Vishwa Hindu Parishad demands strict action against the jihadists who incited rumours, violence, and arson in Nagpur. We also urge authorities to build a memorial honouring revered historical figures in place of Aurangzeb's grave.'

VHP's Central Organization General Secretary, Milind Parande, also condemned the incident, saying: 'The attacks and arson carried out by a section of the Muslim community in Nagpur are completely reprehensible. The homes of our Bajrang Dal youth wing members were targeted, along with several Hindu households. Even women were not spared. The so-called 'jihadi elements' spread false claims about the burning of a Quran to incite violence.'

Hindu-Muslim violence in India has deep historical, political, and social roots, with key events such as the Partition of 1947, the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992, and the Gujarat riots in 2002 shaping communal relations. In 2024, religious nationalism, political rhetoric, and policies like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) continue to fuel divisions, impacting social harmony, minority rights, and India's secular framework.