Tear Gas Fired, Bulldozers Roll As Overnight Demolition Near Dargah Sparks Tension In Old Delhi

Structures near a mosque and graveyard were demolished despite a pending High Court petition. Police reported injuries and used "minimal force" to control unrest, citing court orders for the demolition.

An anti-encroachment drive by MCD near Turkman Gate in Old Delhi led to clashes, stone-pelting, and tear gas use.

Source : ANI

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Tension escalated in parts of Old Delhi early Wednesday after civic authorities launched an anti-encroachment drive near Turkman Gate, leading to clashes, stone-pelting and the use of tear gas. More than four to five dozen tear gas shells were fired as the situation spiralled in the narrow lanes of the historic area.

The demolition drive, carried out by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), targeted alleged encroachments outside the Faiz-e-Elahi Dargah and near Masjid Syed Elahi. Several bulldozers were deployed to raze structures, including a banquet hall and a private diagnostic centre, built on the disputed land.

Demolition Begins Before Dawn, Clashes Erupt

Although the demolition was scheduled to begin at 8 am, it was initiated around 1.30 am, catching residents off guard. Videos shared among local residents showed bulldozers and earth-movers clearing portions of structures as heavy police deployment secured the area. Other clips appeared to show security personnel using tear gas while groups of people pelted stones in protest. The authenticity of the videos could not be independently verified.

According to police, at least five personnel were injured during the unrest. A senior Delhi Police officer said minimal force was used to bring the situation under control and restore normalcy.

High Court Case, Heavy Police Deployment

The demolition took place even as the Delhi High Court had issued notice on a petition filed by the mosque’s managing committee, challenging the MCD’s decision to remove alleged encroachments from land adjoining the mosque and a nearby graveyard at Ramlila Maidan.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Central Range) Madhur Verma said the drive was conducted in accordance with court directions and under strict law-and-order arrangements. The area was divided into nine zones, each supervised by a senior officer, with over 10 companies of Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force deployed at sensitive points.

Verma added that coordination meetings were held with members of the Aman Committee and local stakeholders ahead of the drive to prevent unrest. Despite this, some miscreants attempted to disrupt the operation through stone-pelting, which was contained using measured force, he said.

Earlier MCD Notice 

Earlier, the MCD had issued a notice on December 22, 2025, stating that all structures beyond 0.195 acres, the area housing the mosque, were liable for demolition, citing the absence of documents establishing ownership or lawful possession by the managing committee or the Delhi Waqf Board.

The action followed a November 12, 2025, High Court order directing agencies to clear nearly 38,940 square feet of encroachments near Ramlila Ground, including portions of roads, footpaths, a banquet hall, parking areas and a diagnostic centre, based on a multi-agency survey conducted in October.