Five Cops Injured, 10 Detained As Anti-Encroachment Drive Turns Violent In Old Delhi, Mosque Safe: Updates

Officials claim the mosque was untouched, and the demolition targeted illegal structures on encroached land, with mixed reactions from locals.

An anti-encroachment drive by MCD near a Delhi mosque, following High Court orders, turned violent, injuring at least five police officers.

Source : ANI

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At least five police personnel were injured after an anti-encroachment drive near a mosque in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan area descended into violence early Wednesday, officials said. The clashes broke out during a demolition operation carried out by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) near Turkman Gate.

The drive targeted alleged encroachments on land adjoining the Syed Faiz Elahi Mosque and a nearby graveyard, in compliance with directions issued by the Delhi High Court. Police said some individuals resorted to stone-pelting during the operation, forcing security personnel to intervene and restore order.

Heavy Police Deployment

Delhi Police said extensive law-and-order arrangements had been put in place ahead of the demolition. Senior officers were deployed across multiple zones, and coordination meetings were held with local peace committees to prevent unrest. Despite these measures, sporadic violence was reported, though normalcy was restored shortly thereafter.

Confirming the incident, police said measured force was used to control the situation. “The area was secured quickly, and the demolition was carried out under full police protection,” an official statement said.

The police have booked an FIR against unknown persons in connection with the stone-pelting incident. The pelters are being identified with the help of CCTV footage. 

Additionally, 10 people have been detained in connection with the incident. 

Mosque Unharmed; Officials Defend Action

NDMC Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal welcomed the encroachment drive, stating that illegal constructions had mushroomed in several parts of the locality. He said action would be taken against those involved in the stone-pelting incident.

Deputy Commissioner of the City S.P. Zone (CSPZ), Vivek Agarwal, said the matter had been pending before the High Court for a long time and the demolition was executed strictly as per court orders. He added that around 36,400 square feet of encroached land was identified, which had a two-storey boundary wall and a single-storey structure on top.

Agarwal said the land belonging to the mosque remained untouched and safe. The operation, which lasted nearly six hours and began around midnight, involved 32 JCB machines, four excavators, pneumatic hammers and multiple trucks. Over 80% of the demolition work has been completed, he said, adding that no MCD staff or officials were injured during the drive.

According to officials, a two-storey diagnostic centre building and a banquet hall were demolished, and only the encroached portions were removed. Agarwal also noted that while the mosque committee had made claims over the land, no documentary evidence was produced.

Locals React

Local residents gave mixed reactions to the demolition. One resident told ANI that a graveyard previously existed at the site and the banquet hall was constructed later, calling the structure illegal. Another local, Irshad, supported the action, saying everything around the mosque except the religious structure itself should be razed, and praised the government for carrying out the drive.