New Delhi: At least five cops were reportedly injured after a ruckus erupted in parts of Old Delhi following a pre-dawn demolition drive to remove alleged illegal encroachments near a mosque. The demolition drive triggered protests and stone pelting. A heavy police deployment has been made in the area to control the situation.
The clashes broke out after officials and workers of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) went to the area to carry out a demolition drive on land adjoining the 100-year-old Syed Faiz Elahi mosque and graveyard at Turkman Gate. Officials stated that between 10 and 17 bulldozers were deployed as part of the operation, which was part of the MCD’s ongoing efforts to remove encroachments across the city. The demolition drive was being carried out as per Delhi High Court orders.
"During the course of the demolition, a few miscreants attempted to create a disturbance by indulging in stone pelting. The situation was promptly brought under control through measured and minimal use of force, ensuring that normalcy was restored without escalation," Madhur Verma, Joint Commissioner of Police, Central Range, said, as reported by ANI.
Locals broke barricades and resorted to stone pelting at officials and police personnel. Cops reportedly used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Senior police officials said adequate force had been stationed in and around the area in anticipation of resistance and that the situation was swiftly brought under control.
The police are scanning CCTV cameras installed in the area to identify stone pelters. As per senior police officials, a case will also be filed against the stone pelters. Several people were also reportedly detained by the police.
In November last year, the Delhi High Court had granted three months’ time to the MCD and the Public Works Department (PWD) to remove encroachments on 38,940 sq ft of land at the Ramlila Ground near Turkman Gate, reported NDTV.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Delhi High Court had issued a notice on a petition filed by the managing committee of Masjid Syed Elahi, which challenged the MCD’s decision to remove what it termed as alleged encroachments from land adjoining the mosque and a nearby graveyard at Ramlila Maidan.
