The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar District Collector issued prohibitory orders on Wednesday for additional security to be provided to Aurangzeb’s tomb at Khultabad in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district (formerly known as Aurangabad) of Maharashtra.

The death anniversary of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Shivaji Maharaj falls on March 29 and the district administration has started taking preventive measures to ensure that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb is not demolished on March 29.

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According to sources, the district administration has received information that if a large number of supporters of a former MLA Milind Ramakant Ekbote reach the tomb of Aurangzeb in Khultabad, there is a strong possibility that his supporters and activists will vandalise or destroy the tomb of Aurangzeb, which is likely to create a rift between communities and create serious law and order problems on a large scale.

“Presently , the holy month of Ramadan is underway and the session of the Maharashtra legislative assembly is also underway and I am convinced that if any inappropriate incident occurs in the said agitation, it is likely to have violent repercussions in the entire state of Maharashtra. Accordingly, I, Vinod Khirolkar, Additional District Magistrate, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, in the exercise of the powers vested in me under Section 163 (1) of the Indian Civil Security Code, 2023, am passing the following order,” the order issued by the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar District Collector stated.

“The Superintendent of Police, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Rural, has mentioned in his report that former MLA Milind Ramakant Ekbote, a militant Hindu activist, has previously been booked for participating in the Bhima Koregaon riots and hurting the religious sentiments of communities. Also, earlier he had organised a big agitation to remove the tomb of Afzal Khan at Pratapgad. Therefore, there is a large section of people in Maharashtra who follow him,” the collector’s order stated.

The order mentioned that several members of militant organisations are present in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and surrounding districts, according to confidential information received by the district collector.

“If these people set out from Tulapur to Khultabad, there is a strong possibility that many active members, activists of Hindutva organisations, and hardcore Hindus will meet them on the road. Similarly, the movie ‘Chhawa’ was released a few days ago and due to this movie, the feelings of the Maratha community and people of Hindu religion have intensified regarding the tomb of Aurangzeb. There is also a large amount of outcry on social media regarding this. Also, the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad have warned of launching a statewide agitation from March 17 to remove Aurangzeb’s tomb. If Milind Ramakant Ekbote comes to Khultabad, there is a strong possibility that activists of Dharmveer Sambhaji Maharaj Pratishthan, Hindu Ekta Morcha, Samast Hindu Aghadi, Shiv Pratap Bhoomi Mukti Andolan, and other Hindutva organisations will come together to vandalise or destroy Aurangzeb’s tomb at Khultabad,” the order mentioned.