Nagpur violence: Cost of damage to property will be recovered from rioters, says Maharashtra CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday that the cost of damage to property during the violence in Nagpur on March 17 will be recovered from the rioters themselves.

Addressing mediapersons in the city, Fadnavis said: “The total cost of the damage caused will be calculated and will be recovered from the rioters themselves. If they fail to pay the money, their properties will be sold.”

To a question on whether the government would take “bulldozer action” on the lines of Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said: “Action in Maharashtra will be taken in our way. Wherever bulldozer action is needed, we will do that. No one will be spared.”

Although there are no provisions in Indian law that allow for demolishing property as a punitive measure, authorities in BJP-ruled states have resorted to such measures on numerous occasions.

The violence in Nagpur on March 17 took place hours after Hindutva groups held a protest in the city demanding that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar be removed.

Fadnavis told mediapersons on Saturday that a total of 104 persons have been taken into custody in connection with the violence. “Of these, 92 have been arrested,” he said. “Twelve of them are children in conflict with law, and action has been...

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