A Month After Riots, Mahal Returns to Normalcy

Nagpur: Exactly a month after violence broke out in Mahal on March 17, the area has largely returned to normal. The once-tense locality, which witnessed stone pelting, arson and curfew, now sees open shops, moving traffic and people resuming their routines. The day-long hustle bustle is back, and the overall atmosphere appears calm. However, a basic police presence remains at key locations, particularly around Shivaji Putla Square, where the riots had intensified.

When TOI visited the area on April 16, there were no visible signs of the incident in the affected lanes. Burnt vehicles have been cleared, and cars that once had shattered windows and broken lights now look fully repaired. One resident remarked, "Just a month ago, everything here was damaged. Now, it's hard to believe anything ever happened. The burned car that had become a symbol of the violence is also gone."

The police commissioner confirmed the return to normalcy. "All the localities in and around Mahal are now good and absolutely back to normal," said commissioner of police Ravinder Singal. "The only deployment at Shivaji Putla Square is a basic deployment, which is usually there for the regular events that keep happening. That deployment can be removed even the very next day. It has nothing to do with the riots."

Over the past few weeks, visible recovery has been steady. Residents have resumed daily activities, and commercial establishments in Mahal and nearby areas like Itwari have reopened fully. Still, every evening, a group of 5–6 policemen remain deployed near Shivaji Putla Square as a preventive measure along with a surveillance van until recently, which hasn't gone unnoticed.

"Even though things are fine now, seeing police every evening still reminds us of that day," said Manish Choudhary, a resident. "It'll take more time before we completely overcome that memory."

The surveillance van that had been parked at the square since the violence remained stationed there until just a couple of days ago. Its removal, residents say, signals that the administration is now confident about the situation being under control.

While many say the scars are slowly fading, the memory of the unrest remains fresh in people's minds. "Things are normal, but it changed how we look at our area," said another local resident. "Now, we just hope nothing like this happens again."