Four held in Ujjain for blowing up car in Muharram stunt; police rule out communal angle

Four men, including an Akhara organiser, have been arrested in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain for blowing up a car hung to a crane during Muharram processions, officials said on Thursday (June 25, 2026), adding that the National Security Act (NSA) may be invoked against them. The police have, however, ruled out a communal angle behind the act. 

According to officials, the stunt took place on Wednesday (June 24, 2026) night during Muharram processions being held at Shere Adaan locality under Badnagar police station range where a van was hung onto a crane and blown up using firecrackers. 

Viral videos show a white van hanging through a crane about 40 feet from the ground which is blown up with firecrackers kept inside it, creating a significant explosion, with attendees chanting and raising religious flags. A message on a paper was also pasted on the windshield of the van which read “Le phir aa gaye (Here they come again)”.

Ujjain Superintendent of Police (SP) Pradeep Sharma told The Hindu that an FIR was registered after the police took cognisance of video clips circulating on social media, under various provisions, including Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 125 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others), Section 285 (Danger or obstruction in a public way) and Section 288 (Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substances). 

Mr. Sharma said that the prime accused and the Akhara organiser Shoiab Khan, two men who climbed the car after the blast and waved religious flags Zahid Khan and Tasleem Khan, and crane owner Gopal Mali have been arrested. 

“We have also identified the crane operator and will arrest him soon. The police are also checking video footage to identify if more people were involved with the act,” the SP said,” adding that the locals have demanded that the NSA be invoked. 

“The police are considering it,” he said. 

Collector Raushan Kumar Singh said that no permission for any stunt was sought from the administration while terming it as a “one off incident”. 

“This generally doesn’t happen. Even this year, processions have been going on for two-three days peacefully. This was done by some miscreants. We are keeping strict vigil,” Mr. Singh said speaking to The Hindu. 

Mr. Singh said that a flag march was taken out on Thursday (June 25, 2026) to create awareness about rules and timings for the processions. 

Additional SP Karandeep Singh said that the police investigation has not found a communal angle in the incident and that the stunt was found to be part of competition among local akharas to pull more crowd.  

“Akharas here often do some acts to pull crowd but this kind of act involving a car and this amount of explosives is a first. Usually, akharas organise on-ground normal stunts. No permission is granted to use firecrackers,” the Addl. SP said, adding the organisers used strong Deepavali crackers in the van with closed doors to create bigger impact. 

“We have not found any communal angle or an attempt to create disturbance in the incident,” he added.