Mob attacks DTCP, police team in Gurugram during demolition drive, injures one

Violence erupted at Gurugram’s Kankrola when locals attacked DTCP’s demolition team, leaving a driver hurt. FIR lodged against named suspects and 60 unidentified people.

An enforcement team of the Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) was allegedly pelted with stones by a large number of miscreants during a demolition drive in Kankrola village of Gurugram’s Sector 87 on Monday afternoon, leaving the driver of an earthmovermachine wounded, officers said.

The ‘illegal warehouse’ in Kankrola, Gurugram. (HT Photo)

The attack occurred around 3pm when enforcement officials, accompanied by Gurugram police, moved in to demolish illegal warehouses built over 6.8 acres in the revenue estate of Kankrola. Officials said there are about 12 warehouses on the land.

“We had issued notices to the warehouse owners and asked them to remove the structures, as these are illegal. Today our team, comprising six to seven officials, accompanied by Gurugram police, began the demolition drive when the attack happened,” said a DTCP official present at the spot.

The injured driver of the earthmoving machine was identified as Ganguly (single name), police said. Officials added they had partially demolished three warehouses when around 40 to 50 youths arrived and began pelting stones. “The attack was so intense that the earthmover was badly damaged and the vehicle’s driver was badly injured. The enforcement and police team were forced to retreat, as there were around 150 people opposing the drive,” the official added.

District town planner (enforcement) Amit Madholia confirmed that a complaint had been submitted for FIR against the miscreants and the warehouse owners. “We have submitted a complaint for an FIR to be registered against the miscreants and owners of illegal warehouses, who indulged in violence. Action will be taken against all those who were involved in the attack,” he said, stressing that prior notices had been issued and the drive was carried out as per law.

Police said a case was registered at Kherki Daula police station against Rakesh Hayatpuria, Parshad (councillor) Ajit, Ram Avtar, Satbir and a dealer, Avenue 26 Realty, along with at least 60 unidentified suspects. The FIR invoked sections covering rioting, unlawful assembly, abetment of serious crime, wrongful restraint, threatening and wrongful confinement under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Rakesh Hayatpuria, identified as the husband of the current Manesar mayor, has multiple past cases against him, police said. The complaint submitted by Rahul Dabra, assistant town planner, DTCP, stated that the local public was instigated, stones were hurled at operators of earth movers and officials, and one earth-moving vehicle’s operator was severely injured while the machine’s glass shield was damaged.

ACP Manesar Virender Saini said, “We have video recordings of all the suspects involved in the incident. An operator of earth-moving vehicle has sustained head injuries in the stone pelting done by the mob during the drive. Necessary legal action will be taken against them soon.”