Nagpur violence: Maharashtra CM Fadnavis dismisses claims of intelligence failure; says cost of damage will be recovered from rioters

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule addresses a press conference regarding recent violence, in Nagpur, on March 22, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday (March 22, 2025) dismissed claims of an intelligence failure in the recent Nagpur violence, asserting that there was no political angle involved.

Speaking in Nagpur, Mr. Fadnavis confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the city would proceed as planned, unaffected by the unrest. “Stones were hurled at female police constables, but reports of molestation are not true. We will not tolerate attacks on police personnel and will take strict action,” he said.

Nagpur violence: 14 more held, number of arrests reaches 105; 3 fresh FIRs registered

The Chief Minister arrived in Nagpur late Friday evening (March 21, 2025) for the first time after Vidarbha’s largest city saw violence on March 17, 2025.

Earlier in the day, at an ABP Majha event, the CM said, “Some social media posts had content in Bengali, which is also spoken in Bangladesh. It needs to be ascertained whether this is part of a larger design. Messages were sent through social media asking people to gather, and these individuals are being arrested.”

“We have the capability but the habit (of tracking social media posts) needs to be inculcated. Had social media been tracked well that afternoon, we would have come to know (what was being planned),” he said. “During the violence, the problem was not on main roads but narrow lanes,” he said.

Peace returning to Nagpur; 84 persons in police custody

“Police showed the courage to venture into these lanes and face the situation. That’s why the situation did not escalate,” Mr. Fadnavis said, defending the police.

Police had said earlier that they had identified and reported more than 140 objectionable contents, including posts and videos, across social media platforms, aimed at inciting communal unrest concerning the Nagpur violence.

Asked about which Thackeray – Uddhav or Raj – is closest to him, Mr. Fadnavis said, “In the last five years, I had no ties with Uddhav ji and I have been in touch with Raj. There is no fight (with Uddhav). If we come across each other, we talk but there are no ties left.” He said the ruling Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, will contest local body polls, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, together.

“There could be one or the other civic body where an alliance might not work out. But the overall resolve is to contest together,” he added.

Cost of damage will be recovered from rioters: Devendra Fadnavis

“The cost of properties damaged during Nagpur violence will be recovered from rioters and the failure to pay up would lead to the seizure and selling of their properties,” Mr. Fadnavis said.

Mr. Fadnavis said 104 rioters have been identified after analysing videos and footage from CCTV cameras so far and action has been taken against 92 people, including 12 minors, as per the law.

He said it was too early to comment on a foreign or Bangladeshi hand in the riots as the probe is under way. Speaking on the investigations, he said no foreign hand or Bangladeshi link has surfaced. “There is no political angle to the violence,” he added.

(With inputs from PTI)