Nagpur: A group of armed hooligans created panic in the Mahal area late Tuesday night after they went on a violent rampage, vandalising over a dozen vehicles and moving through the streets with sword-like weapons. The incident triggered brief tension in the locality, but police swiftly intervened and ruled out any communal angle, stating that past rivalry was the main reason behind the clash.

According to police sources, around 12 to 15 youths armed with sharp weapons stormed through the stretch from Shivaji Putla Square towards Ram Cooler Square while shouting abuses. The group reportedly came from the Joharipura side and damaged multiple vehicles parked along the route. Eyewitnesses confirmed that more than a dozen vehicles were smashed during the rampage.

Locals immediately alerted the police, following which teams from Kotwali Police Station and senior officers rushed to the scene. Deputy Commissioner of Police Rahul Madane also reached the spot, and security was reinforced across sensitive pockets of Mahal. Police detained three suspects, all of whom are believed to be from outside the Mahal locality. Their interrogation continued late into the night.

The incident has raised concerns as it occurred just hours before President Droupadi Murmu’s scheduled visit, at a time when the entire city was under heightened security. Residents pointed out that although heavy deployment had been placed in the area following last year’s riots in March, the security presence had recently been relaxed.

Police have assured that all suspects involved in the act have been identified and that more arrests are likely. “The situation is completely under control, and there is no communal tension. The clash stemmed from an old personal dispute,” officials clarified. Further investigation is underway.