Radical outfit member ‘who incited Nagpur riots’ held

Nagpur:

Nagpur police

arrested Faizan Khatib, a suspected member of a radical Islamist outfit, following allegations that he instigated mobs during the March 17 riots in the city’s Mahal area, 2 km from the

RSS headquarters

.
Khatib was arrested on Wednesday from his home, where he was holed up for the past 10 days. Another suspect, Shahbaz Qazi, was picked up and both were sent to police custody for two days.
Khatib had drawn the attention of intelligence agencies due to his purported radical views. Eighteen months ago, he allegedly incited unrest near Gandhi Gate in Mahal after eloping with a woman from another community.
Police said on Thursday that Khatib had been operating from Akola before returning to Nagpur for Ramzan and Eid.

His custody marks the third major development in the case after the arrest of two other suspects— burqa seller Fahim Khan and his alleged mentor Hamid Engineer. Both face charges of sedition and rioting for allegedly spreading inflammatory content through videos before the violence on the night of March 17. While Engineer and Khan hold top positions in Minorities Democratic Party, police said Khatib is associated with

Islamic Youth Federation

, a hard-line group that, according to its website, focuses on reconnecting youth with their religious roots.
According to sources, Khatib was identified in multiple CCTV clips from the riot’s epicentre. Though he was not caught on camera attacking police, investigators grew suspicious of his presence at key flashpoints. In one clip, he is allegedly seen arguing with police as they tried to disperse the crowd. Officials said Khatib’s mobile phone could provide insights into their activities leading up to the violence. The riots erupted after demonstrations demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar . The clashes in Nagpur left one dead, over 40 wounded and more than 50 vehicles damaged.
Two more held in Nagpur riots
Faizan Khatib, linked to the hardline Islamic Youth Federation, has been arrested with another person in connection with Nagpur violence. CCTV clips showed Khatib at two spots of the riot epicentre. The arrests follow those of Fahim Khan and Hamid Engineer.