Violence Sparks Curfew in Nagpur, Markets and Schools Shut Down
Nagpur, India: Nagpur’s busy residential areas in East, North, and South Nagpur came to a complete stop on Monday after a curfew was imposed following violent clashes between two groups. Popular markets in Sakkardara, Mahal, Itwari, Gandhibagh, and Mominpura, which are usually crowded, were completely deserted.
The curfew came at a bad time, as it coincided with the wedding season and Ramzan festivities. As a result, traders reported heavy financial losses, amounting to crores of rupees. Important wholesale markets like Gandhibagh’s cloth market, Itwari’s Sarafa Bazaar, and the Kirana market, which attract shoppers from across Vidarbha, remained closed. This closure severely affected both businesses and customers.
A visit to the curfew-affected areas, including Mahal, Wardhaman Nagar, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Reshimbagh, and Central Avenue, showed that all commercial activity had stopped. Only medical stores and essential service outlets were allowed to operate. In North Nagpur, commercial areas like Pachpaoli, Indora, and Kamal Talkies Square also came to a halt due to their proximity to Muslim-dominated areas such as Mominpura and Bhankheda.
Some shopkeepers tried to open their shops in the morning but quickly shut them down, fearing violence, especially in sensitive areas like Central Avenue, Hasanbagh, Kharbi, Tajbagh, Satranjipura, and Bhaldarpura.
To control the situation, Nagpur Police deployed Home Guards in sensitive areas. Roads leading to the iconic Shivaji statue in Mahal were completely barricaded, and only two-wheelers were allowed to pass through alternate lanes. Public transport services, including e-rickshaws, city buses, auto-rickshaws, and cabs, stayed off the roads. Schools in the affected areas declared holidays, and many government employees also skipped work due to the curfew.
As the city tries to recover from the clashes, traders, commuters, and residents are hoping that normalcy will return soon. Security personnel remain on high alert to ensure that no further violence occurs.
