Nagpur Police have clarified that no cloth with religious text was burned during a right-wing protest in Nagpur. This statement comes days after communal violence in the city that left several people injured. The police have also taken action against hundreds of offensive posts made online with the intention of provoking communal disturbance and upsetting the city's peace and order. 

A preliminary investigation revealed that rumours about a cloth (chadar) with Quranic verses being burned during a protest by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal triggered the violence in Nagpur on March 17. The protest was held to demand the removal of a Mughal emperor's tomb. Seven people were arrested in connection with the incident and released on bail the following Thursday, a day after the violence. The Maharashtra cyber cell, in coordination with the Nagpur Police, has identified over 140 objectionable posts and videos on social media that were intended to stir communal unrest. Notices have been sent to these accounts to ensure the content is removed quickly and to trace the real identities of those managing them.

According to a release from the Maharashtra cyber cell, these contents were intentionally created to offend a particular religious group, provoke communal tension, and worsen the ongoing law and order situation in the state. The Maharashtra cyber cell added that such actions not only break the law but also endanger peace and stability. It noted that the recent riots caused significant damage to public property and warned that strict legal action would be taken against those spreading provocative content. The Maharashtra cyber cell has advised citizens to be cautious while sharing information on social media and to avoid interacting with or spreading unverified or objectionable content. India Today has learned that one of the identified Facebook accounts was operated from Bangladesh. In a post, the user claimed that Monday's riots were minor and warned of larger riots in the future. 

The cyber cell has reached out to Facebook to have the account blocked. Meanwhile, the number of FIRs filed in connection with the Nagpur violence has increased to 10, and 84 people have been arrested so far. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also confirmed on Wednesday that no cloth with religious texts was burned. He further vowed to "dig out from their graves" those responsible for attacking the police during the March 17 violence in Nagpur. "Whatever happened two days ago was a planned incident by a few people. I am not blaming any community....we did not find any 'Ayat' (Quranic verse) on the cloth that was burnt," he added. "We have verified this from all angles by magnifying videos and pictures of the protest," Fadnavis stated, adding that the violence was orchestrated to disturb peace within the community. 

Violence broke out in Nagpur's Chitnis Park on Monday following clashes linked to rumours during a right-wing protest in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The situation escalated as mobs pelted stones at police, attacked local homes, and set cars and bikes on fire. According to an FIR obtained by India Today TV, 34 police personnel were injured, and an on-duty woman police officer was reportedly molested by a group of rioters during the clash. The report, which names 51 individuals, also mentioned that the rioters shouted provocative slogans to incite tension.

On Wednesday, Nagpur Police arrested Fahim Shamim Khan, a leader of the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP), who is believed to be the mastermind behind the violence. Khan was one of the 51 people named in the FIR. A video has also surfaced showing him allegedly delivering an inflammatory speech just hours before the violence began. Khan had contested against BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Nagpur constituency.