Anti-encroachment drive near mosque in Delhi turns violent; police use teargas shells to disperse crowd after stone pelting

Some people resorted to stone pelting during the operation, triggering chaos at the site; normalcy restored shortly after the incident, say police

As many as five police personnel were injured after an anti-encroachment drive near a mosque in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan area turned violent early Wednesday.

The clashes erupted when officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) were carrying out a demolition drive on land adjoining the Syed Faiz Elahi mosque and a nearby graveyard at Turkman Gate, following directions of the Delhi High Court.

The mosque was not damaged during the drive, an MCD official said, according to news agency PTI.

The Delhi police, in a statement, said that teargas shells were used to disperse the crowd and normalcy was restored shortly after the incident.

During the operation, some people allegedly resorted to stone pelting, triggering chaos at the site. The police later said the situation was brought under control with measured force.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan said the MCD scheduled the demolition for the intervening night of January 6 and 7, following which police personnel were mobilised and deployed at the site, but around 100-150 people gathered when the MCD machinery, including earthmovers, was about to arrive.

He said most people dispersed after being persuaded, though some tried to create a ruckus and resorted to stone-pelting, in which five policemen sustained minor injuries and were given medical treatment.

"We had to use teargas to disperse the crowd," the DCP said.

Legal action will be initiated after medical reports, statements, he said, adding that CCTV camera footage were being analysed.

A banquet hall and a dispensary near the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque, which were declared encroachments by the court, were being demolished during the drive, the officer said.

36,000 sq ft encroached area cleared

MCD's Deputy Commissioner Vivek Kumar said the demolition drive was carried out in compliance with a High Court order, during which around 36,000 square feet of encroached area was cleared.

The cleared area include a diagnostic centre, a marriage hall and two two-storey boundary walls, Kumar said, adding that the demolition continued through the night.

He said debris sufficient to fill around 200 to 250 vehicles was still lying at the site and would be removed as part of the ongoing clean-up operation.

Kumar clarified that no damage was caused to the mosque during the drive.

The police said that the MCD, the land-owning agency, had informed the police in advance about the proposed demolition and sought deployment of force for maintaining law and order.

The DCP said that immediately after receiving the intimation, the police contacted local residents and informed them that the demolition was a legal action, adding that the police took people of the area into confidence and received considerable cooperation from them.

(With agency inputs)