demolition-drive-near-delhi-mosque-turns-violent-cops-injured

An anti-encroachment drive near a mosque in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan turned violent early Wednesday, injuring at least five police personnel, officials said.

The demolition was being carried out by officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on the directions of the Delhi High Court on land adjoining the Syed Faiz Elahi Mosque and a nearby graveyard at Turkman Gate.

But, trouble began brewing when some people allegedly resorted to stone-pelting, triggering chaos and prompting the police to use teargas shells to disperse the crowd.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central), Nidhin Valsan, said MCD scheduled the demolition of a banquet hall and a dispensary near the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque, which were declared encroachments by the court, for the intervening night of January 6 and 7. 

 

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Police personnel were mobilised and deployed at the site for the purpose, but around 100-150 people gathered when MCD machinery, including JCBs, was about to arrive. While most people dispersed upon persuasion, some tried to create a ruckus, Valsan said, and confirmed that at least five policemen on duty sustained minor injured when stones were pelted. 

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

The Delhi Police said normalcy was restored shortly after the incident.

Legal action will be initiated after medical reports, statements, Valsan added, for which CCTV footage was being analysed.

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

The DCP said his force 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.

He added that extensive law and order arrangements had been made in advance, with senior officers deployed across multiple zones and coordination meetings held with members of local peace committees.