Violence erupted during an anti-encroachment drive near the Syed Faiz Elahi Mosque in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan area early Wednesday, leaving at least five police personnel injured.
The clashes broke out when the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was carrying out a demolition drive on land adjoining the 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.
The Delhi Police, later in a statement, said that teargas shells were used to disperse the crowd after which the situation was brought under control and normalcy restored.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan said MCD scheduled the demolition for the intervening night of January 6 and 7, following which police personnel were mobilised and deployed at the site. However, around 100-150 people gathered when MCD machinery, including JCBs, was about to arrive.
During the operation, some people allegedly resorted to stone pelting, triggering chaos at the site. He said most people dispersed after being persuaded. However, 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 getting medical reports and recording statements, he said, adding that CCTV footage are also 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.
The police said that 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.
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 included one 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 is still lying at the site and will be removed as part of the ongoing clean-up operation. Kumar clarified that no damage was caused to the mosque during the drive.
He said the demolition took time as the structures were strongly built, with walls measuring around nine inches in thickness.
According to the police, extensive law and order arrangements were made in advance, with senior officers deployed across multiple zones. Coordination meetings were also held with members of local peace committees.
Meanwhile, Joint Commissioner of Police (Central Range) Madhur Verma in a statement said, "Pursuant to the directions of the High Court of Delhi, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) carried out a demolition drive at the encroached area in the vicinity of Faiz-e-Elahi Masjid, Turkman Gate, near Ramlila Maidan, Delhi, in the early morning hours."
He said in order to ensure smooth conduct of the demolition drive and to maintain public order, comprehensive law and order arrangements were put in place by Delhi Police.
"The entire area was meticulously divided into nine zones, each placed under the supervision of an officer of the rank of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police. Adequate deployment of police force was made at all sensitive points," the Joint CP said.
Prior to the demolition drive, several coordination meetings were held with members of the Aman Committee and other local stakeholders, with the objective of maintaining peace and preventing any untoward incident. All possible preventive and confidence-building measures were undertaken, he said.
"During the course of the demolition, a few miscreants attempted to create 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," he added.
The Delhi Police remains committed to maintaining law and order while ensuring that all judicial directions are implemented in a lawful, professional and sensitive manner, Joint CP Verma said in the statement.
Several videos emerged, where police officers can be seen directing the force to lathicharge and to maintain law and order after stones and glass bottles were pelted on them. Police personnel were also seen firing multiple tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, who were forcing the police to take action.
"The situation is totally under control now. Heavy deployment has been made," the Joint CP reiterated.
