Although the situation is gradually returning to normal, an uneasy atmosphere continues to prevail in the area, evoking memories of the Emergency-era demolitions at Turkman Gate.
New Delhi: A tense situation prevailed in Delhi’s Turkman Gate area on Wednesday after violence erupted during an anti-encroachment drive near the Faiz-e-Elahi Mosque, in Ramlila Maidan with a mob pelting stones and glass bottles at police personnel. Police used mild force and tear gas to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control.
The Delhi Police registered an FIR and arrested four adults, Mohd Arib, 25, Mohd Kaif, 23, Mohd Kashif, 25, and Mohd Hamid, 30, and apprehended a 17-year-old juvenile. Several others were detained for questioning. At least five police personnel, including a station house officer, were injured in the violence.
Although the situation is gradually returning to normal, an uneasy atmosphere continues to prevail in the area, evoking memories of the Emergency-era demolitions at Turkman Gate.
The anti-encroachment drive was carried out by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on directions of the High Court on land adjoining the mosque and a nearby graveyard. Police said that after receiving advance information from the MCD, they held coordination meetings with local residents and members of the Aman Committee and initially received cooperation.
Trouble broke out around 12.40 am on Wednesday after a social media post falsely claimed that the mosque itself was being demolished. Following the post, a mob of nearly 150 to 200 people gathered and resorted to stone-pelting at police personnel, MCD officials and workers, police said.
The role of Samajwadi Party MP Mohibbullah Nadvi, who was present in the area earlier, is also being examined. Joint Commissioner of Police (Central Range) Madhur Verma said that Nadvi had left before the demolition began and that the matter was under investigation.
Verma said the entire area had been divided into nine zones, each under the supervision of an additional deputy commissioner of police, with heavy deployment at sensitive points. “Despite extensive coordination, a few miscreants attempted to disturb law and order. The situation was promptly controlled with minimal force,” he said, adding that drones would be used for close surveillance.
Additional commissioner of police (Central) Nidhin Valsan said the MCD had scheduled the demolition for the intervening night of January 6 and 7 and sought police assistance in advance. Over 50 MCD officials, supported by hundreds of police personnel, deployed 32 JCBs and four Poclain machines during the drive.
Police said they were analysing social media videos allegedly instigating people to gather at the site. Masks worn by some protesters to conceal their identities were recovered, and footage from CCTV cameras, police body cameras and drones is being examined to identify others involved.
MCD deputy commissioner Vivek Kumar said the mosque was not damaged during the operation. About 36,000 square feet of encroached land was cleared, including the demolition of a diagnostic centre, a banquet hall and two boundary walls.
Delhi home minister Ashish Sood termed the incident “unfortunate” and warned that violence would not be tolerated. He said the action was strictly in accordance with court orders and limited to illegal commercial structures, appealing to residents not to fall prey to rumours or provocation.
For many residents, the sight of bulldozers and heavy police presence revived memories of the Emergency-era demolitions. Local resident Shahid Gagori recalled that his father was jailed during the Emergency for protesting demolitions in the area, while Raghubir Seth, 80, said the mosque had existed for decades, though most surrounding constructions were relatively recent.
