Nagpur: Acting on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ recent remarks about taking strict action against rioters, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Monday, March 24 demolished the illegally constructed house of Fahim Khan, the alleged mastermind behind the recent riots in Mahal, Hansapuri, and Bhaldarpura.

On Saturday, March 22, when asked whether bulldozer action—similar to Uttar Pradesh’s model—would be implemented against rioters’ properties in Nagpur, CM Fadnavis stated that action would be taken “when the time is right.” Just days later, the administration initiated a crackdown.

Illegal Construction Under the Scanner:

Fahim Khan, city president of the Minority Democratic Party (MDP), had illegally constructed a house on Plot No. 61/A in Sanjay Bagh Colony, Yashodhara Nagar. NMC had issued a notice in the name of Mahirunissa Shamim Khan, with a copy delivered to Fahim Khan’s residence. Sources indicate that approximately 900 square feet of the house was illegally built.

Police Action and Legal Charges:

Fahim Khan was apprehended last Monday for allegedly conspiring and inciting violence during the March 17 riots. He has also been booked under sedition charges, and police are conducting a thorough investigation.

The riots broke out after Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists staged 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 mentor, co-accused Hameed Engineer, to investigate possible links to organized networks from Bangladesh.

Is Nagpur Adopting the Bulldozer Model?

The demolition of Khan’s house has sparked discussions about whether Nagpur is following Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath’s bulldozer policy against criminal elements. With the administration actively targeting illegally built properties linked to accused individuals, the move is being closely watched as a potential precedent for future actions in Maharashtra.