Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], March 18 (ANI): Violence erupted in Nagpur's Hansapuri area as unidentified individuals vandalized shops, torched vehicles, and pelted stones, following an earlier clash between two groups in the Mahal area that had already heightened tensions in the city, according to reports.

An eyewitness from Hansapuri described the chaos caused by a masked group. 'A team came here, their faces were hidden with scarves. They had sharp weapons, stickers, and bottles in their hands. They started the ruckus, vandalized shops, and pelted stones. They also torched vehicles,' the eyewitness said.

Another local resident confirmed the destruction. 'They vandalized shops... they set fire to 8-10 vehicles,' he said.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Shyamkumar Barve, speaking in Delhi, condemned the violence and urged people to maintain peace. 'The kind of attempt is being made, a Hindu-Muslim clash has never happened in Nagpur. I want to appeal to both communities to maintain peace... an attempt is being made to divert attention from key issues through such incidents,' Barve said.

Nagpur Police Commissioner Dr. Ravinder Singal assured residents that the situation was now under control. 'The situation is peaceful right now. A photo was burned, following which people gathered. We requested them to disperse, and we even took action in this regard. They had even come to my office to meet me. They were told that an FIR had been lodged based on the names they mentioned, and action would be taken against them,' he said.

He further explained the timeline of the unrest. 'This incident occurred around 8-8:30 p.m. Not many vehicles have been torched. We are assessing the damage. Two vehicles have been torched, and stone pelting has occurred. Police are conducting combing operations, and those involved are being identified and arrested. We have imposed Section 144, and everyone has been instructed not to step out unnecessarily or take the law into their own hands. Do not believe in rumours. Except for this area, the entire city is peaceful,' he added.

Tensions initially broke out in the Mahal area of Nagpur following a dispute between two groups. A mob of nearly 1,000 people engaged in large-scale stone-pelting, vandalism, and arson, injuring several police personnel and damaging multiple vehicles and homes.

In response to the violence, Nagpur Police have issued prohibitory orders in the city and detained over 20 people. Authorities are analyzing CCTV footage and video clips to identify the culprits, and an FIR is being registered. Police have urged residents to maintain calm and cooperate. (ANI)