Cops fire in air, use tear gas as locals resist demolition

A team of Delhi Government’s Revenue Department and police was attacked when they went to outer Delhi’s Narela to demolish unauthorised slums on Friday.

Locals resorted to stone-pelting which forced police to lathicharge, open fire in the air and fire tear gas shells. Despite the violence, no injuries were reported.

Narela MLA Neel Daman Khatri was also at Gautam Colony to support the slum dwellers.
The situation was tense for over an hour during which the locals also blocked arterial roads in the area and railway tracks near Narela railway station.

“More police force brought the situation under control by 2.30 pm,” said a police officer.
The demolition drive was to be carried out on the orders of Narela Zone’s Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Nitika Pawar.

However, due to the protest, it was cancelled for the day. According to sources, the slum dwellers have encroached government land and their number is increasing everyday.
The matter came into the notice of the SDM after which the orders for demolition were passed.

Agitated at the sudden demolition, locals resorted to stone-pelting forcing the authorities to return empty handed.

According to police, while tear gas shells were used to pacify the large crowd which gathered in the area, no one was detained.

At around 1.30 pm, the slum dwellers accompanied with some local leaders also obstructed the railway tracks between Delhi and Ambala for almost two hours hampering train traffic.

“We requested police and the authorities to carry out the demolition drive after the elections. However, when the officials did not stop, it led to crowd agitation,” said Narela MLA Neel Daman Khatri.

According to Delhi government officials, while a detailed report of the matter has been ordered, sources claim that the officials are likely to reinitiate the demolition drive very soon.

A case of obstructing an official from doing his duty has been registered with Narela police station.