’Protect Aurangzeb’s tomb’: Self-proclaimed Mughal descendant Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy writes to UN — who is he?

Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy, a self-proclaimed Mughal descendant of Bahadur Shah Zafar, has written to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres seeking international intervention and protection for Aurangzeb's tomb in Maharashtra.

The demand comes almost a month after violence erupted in Nagpur during a protest rally which demanded the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb. The tomb is located in Khuldabad in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district (formerly Aurangabad).

Who is Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy?

Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy is a self-proclaimed descendant of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, and claims to be the sixth-generation heir of the Mughal dynasty.

Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy is known for asserting ownership over iconic Mughal heritage sites like the Taj Mahal and the disputed Ayodhya land. He serves as the caretaker (Mutawalli) of Aurangzeb's tomb in Maharashtra.

Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy actively seeks recognition and protection for Mughal properties and has petitioned authorities, including the UN, to safeguard Aurangzeb's grave from vandalism.

He lives in Hyderabad and maintains a public persona emphasising his royal lineage.

Where is Aurangzeb tomb located in India?

Aurangzeb's tomb is located in Khuldabad, a town in the Sambhajinagar district of Maharashtra. Unlike the grand mausoleums of other Mughal emperors, Aurangzeb chose a simple grave near the Chishti Sufi shrine of Sheikh Zainuddin Shirazi.

Aurangzeb died in 1707 at the age of approximately 88, most likely due to natural causes such as old age and related chronic illnesses.

Row over Aurangzeb's tomb

The Nagpur violence in March 2025 erupted after right-wing Hindu groups, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, protested demanding the removal of the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, whom they accuse of oppressing Hindus.

The unrest began with the burning of Aurangzeb’s effigy draped in a green cloth, which sparked communal tensions and rumours of desecration of religious texts, leading to stone-pelting, arson, and clashes between Hindu and Muslim groups.

The violence resulted in over 30 injuries, damage to vehicles and homes, and the imposition of a curfew in parts of Nagpur.

Right-wing groups have intensified their demands for the demolition of Aurangzeb's tomb, citing the Mughal emperor's controversial legacy, particularly his execution of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, and have drawn incendiary parallels with the Babri Masjid demolition.

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji.

The row over Aurangzeb’s tomb in Khuldabad, Maharashtra, encapsulates the deep fissures in India’s engagement with its Mughal past. Once a relatively obscure site maintained for over three centuries by a single family—without any government support—the tomb has become a lightning rod for political and communal tensions.