NAGPUR: After 60 minutes of rioting, the old quarters of Mahal, where history breathes through its narrow lanes and bustling markets, was enveloped by an eerie silence at midnight, often punctuated by sporadic sloganeering.In the late evening hours of Monday, Mahal was burning.
It was just not just the towering flames, the area was swamped by chaos and hate that lingered much after the last stone was hurled.
It all started in the morning — a protest by VHP and Bajrang Dal demanding removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb. By dusk, the tension that simmered through the day reached boiling point.
As this correspondent drove from Agyaram Devi Square to Tilak Putla, the change was subtle. It was like a curfew had been clamped. But the moment we turned right towards Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Putla Square — the transformation was stark. A wall of police vehicles formed an impenetrable barricade. Beyond it, a 100-strong crowd was still standing, but kept at bay.
Onlookers gathered at a distance, whispering, wondering, stretching their necks to catch a glimpse of something that could explain the fear. But no answers came.
A detour from Badkas Square through the chaotic hum of Chitnis Park Chowk, to Chinavis Square took this correspondent deep into the heart of ground zero. Here the tremors hadn’t subsided. Voices rang through the dead of night. “Violence,” they yelled. “Why?” they demanded. The streets were littered with stones and bricks — telltale signs of violence.
Ahead, policemen stood in formation — helmets secured, batons in hand, faces half-covered with cloth. It took us a moment to understand why. The sting came sharp and burning. It was tear gas, which still hung heavy.
Some officers weren’t just battle-ready; they were battle-weary. Bandages wrapped around arms, legs limping slightly — but they stayed put. No hospital visits, no time to rest. Just a quick fix, and back into the storm.
As the night deepened, so did fear. More detentions. More faces were brought from the road leading to Agrasen Square. The road ahead was black, lifeless, but pulsating with tension. Mahal didn’t sleep today.
