Police seek land cleared in Turkman Gate demolition for women’s station

Delhi Police has written to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) seeking a portion of the land cleared during a controversial demolition drive near the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque at Turkman Gate earlier this year to establish a women’s police station, officials familiar with the matter said on Thursday

Delhi Police has written to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) seeking a portion of the land cleared during a controversial demolition drive near the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque at Turkman Gate earlier this year to establish a women’s police station, officials familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

The land was cleared during a high-security demolition drive conducted around 2am on January 7 by MCD and Delhi Police following a Delhi High Court order hours earlier. (HT Archive)

In a letter sent to the civic body earlier this month, reviewed by HT, the police requested allotment of a 60ft by 40ft parcel of land that was reclaimed after the removal of encroachments during the January 7 demolition drive conducted by MCD, and assisted by police.

“In this regard, a parcel of MCD land situated near Faiz-e-Elahi Masjid, Turkman Gate, adjoining Ramlila Maidan, which was previously under unauthorised occupation, has recently been reclaimed after removal of encroachments and restored to the possession of MCD,” the letter states.

Police described the site as “ideally suited” for the proposed women’s police station because of its “strategic location, excellent accessibility and proximity to densely populated areas of Central District”.

Police also said a permanent police presence at the site would act as “an effective deterrent against any future encroachments or unauthorised occupation of the land”.

According to the letter, the facility would strengthen the institutional framework for preventing and investigating crimes against women, improve outreach to women in distress, ensure faster police response and “further the lieutenant governor’s vision of expanding women-centric public safety infrastructure”.

Delhi Police inaugurated its first dedicated women’s police station at the Subzi Mandi police station complex in June, and all districts have since been directed to establish similar specialised facilities.

The land was cleared during a high-security demolition drive conducted around 2am on January 7 by MCD and Delhi Police following a Delhi High Court order hours earlier. The operation removed structures, including a community hall and a dispensary, built outside the near--century old Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque complex.

The demolition triggered protests by local residents, who allegedly pelted stones at police personnel, leaving at least five officers with minor injuries. Police responded with tear gas shells and a lathi-charge before registering a case of rioting and obstruction of public servants and arresting more than 10 people.

At the time, Delhi mayor Raja Iqbal Singh had said the demolition targeted only illegal commercial structures and did not affect the mosque or any religious structure. “The order to keep the Ramlila Ground intact was from the high court, and we have strictly followed it,” Singh had told HT, adding that only unauthorised constructions beyond the sanctioned area were removed.