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The police in Nagpur have taken over 50 persons in custody and filed five cases in connection with violence that erupted in the city on Monday night. The clashes broke out after Hindutva groups held a protest demanding that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb located in Khuldabad near Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar be removed.

Five persons and 33 police personnel were injured in the violence. The police fired tear gas and resorted to lathicharge to bring the situation under control.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the Assembly that the violence took place in a planned manner, claiming that authorities seized a trolley full of stones and weapons. He also said that the recent Hindi film Chhaava had sparked anger against Aurangzeb, suggesting that it may have contributed to the violence. Read on.

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday raided eight locations in Bengaluru linked to the Open Society Foundations, backed by American billionaire philanthropist George Soros. This came as part of the agency’s investigation into alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act.

The searches targeted purported beneficiaries of the foundation and associated entities, including some tied to global human rights groups. The ED said it suspected that foreign funds were routed as foreign direct investment and consultancy fees to bypass restrictions imposed on the group’s funding activities in India in 2016 by the Union home ministry.

The agency is also scrutinising funds from the Soros Economic Development Fund. Among the premises searched was Aspada Investments, reportedly a subsidiary of a Mauritius entity. The Bharatiya Janata Party has previously accused Soros of seeking to undermine Indian democracy. The Open Society Foundations has not yet commented on the development. Read on.

The Delhi High Court has refused to stay proceedings against Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kapil Mishra, who has been accused of promoting communal enmity ahead of the 2020 Assembly elections in the national capital. Mishra, now Delhi’s law minister, has been accused of posting allegedly objectionable comments on electronic media on January 23, 2020, in connection with the Assembly elections.

On March 7, Special Judge Jitendra Singh of the Rouse Avenue Courts dismissed a petition by the BJP leader to stay the summons issued to him in the case. The judge said that Mishra’s statements from 2020 appeared to be a “brazen attempt to promote enmity on the grounds of religion”.

Mishra then approached the High Court, which on Tuesday refused to stay proceedings against him. Read on.

Israel resumed air strikes on Gaza early Tuesday, killing at least 330 people in what Palestinian authorities said was the deadliest attack since the January 19 ceasefire. Hundreds were injured, many critically, according to health officials.

The strikes hit densely populated areas, schools, residential buildings and tents sheltering displaced persons. Hamas accused Israel of unilaterally ending the ceasefire and warned the escalation would endanger hostages.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the offensive was triggered by Hamas’ “refusal to release hostages” and promised intensified military action against the militant group. The United States was consulted before the strikes, White House officials confirmed.

Over 47,700 Palestinians, including 17,400 children, have been killed since Israel began its offensive in October after a Hamas-led attack. The ceasefire had temporarily paused fighting, with hostages exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. Read on.

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