Delhi demolition drive highlights: 5 held, case registered after clashes; police probing videos of incident

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Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid said that the Turkman Gate demolition drive could have been handled differently, but added that since it was considered valid by the court, “nothing else can be said.”
"The basic thing is that the Faiz-e-Ilahi Masjid has suffered no losses. The masjid is perfectly fine. The area, which was used for functions like weddings and other events, has been demolished. I don't know how the action was carried out, but I have learnt that the matter was in Court and action was taken only when no relief was granted by the Court. Despite everything, it is a social matter, and it should have been handled differently... If the Court has considered this action valid, nothing else can be said in the matter," Khurshid was quoted by ANI as saying.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla reacted to SP leader ST Hasan’s remarks on the stone-pelting incident targeting police during an encroachment removal drive at Faiz-e-Ilahi mosque near Turkman Gate.
“The Samajwadi Party has come out to defend stone-pelters in the name of vote-bank politics. Its leaders, including ST Hasan, are now saying that when a rumour spread in Delhi that a mosque was being demolished, stone-pelting was bound to happen and that it was an ‘action–reaction’. Calling it action–reaction is essentially providing cover fire to the stone-pelters. This reflects the Samajwadi Party’s pattern,” Poonawala told PTI.

The demolition drive, carried out by the MCD, took place on the land adjoining the mosque and a nearby graveyard at Turkman Gate. Here is everything that happened in pictures.

BJP leader Yaser Jilani condemned the stone pelting during demolition drive in Delhi's Turkman Gate.
“I strongly condemn the organised attack on Delhi Police during the demolition drive near Faiz-e-Ilahi mosque. The police were present to act on a court order against illegal construction when rumors were spread, leading to stone-pelting and unrest. Such acts show disregard for peace and harmony and amount to an attack on the authority of the state,” he told PTI.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Central Range) Madhur Verma said the Delhi Police have registered a case in connection with the incident during the demolition drive near the Faiz-e-Elahi mosque. The case has been registered under Sections 121, 123, 221 of the BNS, and Section 3 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and Section 191 (rioting).

“Five people were arrested on the spot. The matter is being investigated by the Special Staff Inspector. More evidence is being collected with the help of the body-borne cameras worn by Delhi Police personnel and videography from the spot,” Verma told ANI news agency.

Verma further said that the police team has detected “a few videos wherein attempts are being made to instigate hooligans.” The Joint CP said that these people would be summoned and questioned, and if found to have a role in the incident, action will be taken against them.

Delhi demolition drive LIVE updates: After the anti-encroachment demolition drive by MCD near Delhi's Faiz-e-Elahi Masjid, Turkman Gate, joint commissioner of Delhi police's central range Madhur Verma said that a case has been registered under sections 121, 123, 221 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, section 3 of prevention of damage to public property act and section 191 (rioting) in connection with the incident of stone pelting last night.

Verma added that the police department have got hands on some videos from social media and team has detected a few videos wherein attempts are being made to instigate clashes. “They will be summoned and questioned as part of the investigation. If someone's role is established in a conspiracy. Action will be taken against them,” he said.

Following the demolition drive near the Faiz-e-Elahi mosque, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has urged the Delhi Waqf Board to approach the Supreme Court.

"Delhi Waqf Board and its managing committee should approach the Supreme Court and state all facts and get status quo..." Owaisi told ANI news agency. The AIMIM chief alleged the whole land belonged to Waqf.

“..On 12th November, the Delhi HC indeed gave a judgment. The surprising thing is that the petitioner, Save India Foundation, with an RSS background, went to court. Court ordered a survey but in this Waqf was not a party....” Owaisi told ANI, adding that Waqf should have been a party in the case and mentioned the Waqf gazette notification.

“The Delhi Waqf Board should have filed a review petition in court. As a result, the court took a wrong decision...This LDO is as per the Ministry of Urban Affairs...The critical point is that in 1947, this place was a mosque...Waqf has suffered a loss. What has happened is wrong,” Owaisi added.

Over 50 officials from the MCD were present during the demolition drive, while 32 JCBs and four Poclain machines were deployed to carry out the demolition, PTI news agency reported. Hundreds of police personnel were accompanying the MCD officials.

Deputy Commissioner of the City SP Zone (CSPZ) Vivek Aggarwal said the operation carried out on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday focused on removing a banquet hall and a dispensary, which were declared encroachments by the Delhi High Court, according to the PTI report.

AAP MLA Aaley Mohammad Iqbal has claimed that the area where the demolition drive took place had no marriage hall. “A marriage hall has never existed there. A hall is a permanent structure. To this day, there has never been any marriage hall. It is an open area,” Iqbal told PTI news agency.

“Whenever poor families need a place for weddings, the mosque committee opens that park, that space, that open area for them. In fact, it is a graveyard area, and that area is occasionally opened for people to hold weddings…” Iqbal added.

Delhi demolition drive LIVE updates: Deputy commissioner of Municipal corporation of Delhi (MCD), Vivek Kumar on Wednesday clarified that no damage was caused to the Faiz-e-Elahi mosque in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan.

Kumar further added that some commercial establishments, including a diagnostic centre and banquet hall were demolished during the drive.

Delhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh on Wednesday said the demolition drive near the Faiz-e-Elahi mosque in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan had been completed, adding that the debris was being cleared now. Singh told PTI news agency that the MCD had followed the court's order.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Central Range), Madhur Verma, said that five people had been arrested after the demolition drive near the Faiz-e-Elahi mosque in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan turned violent. Verma said that the images of others involved were also available with the police, adding that they would be detained soon.

“The stone peltors were chased away within two-three minutes,” Verma told reporters, according to ANI news agency.

Delhi minister Ashish Sood on Wednesday described the clashes during the demolition drive near the Faiz-e-Elahi mosque as “unfortunate”, while warning that violence would not be tolerated, PTI news agency reported.

Sood further said that obstructing or disrupting the work being carried out within the framework of law was “completely unacceptable.”

“I want to clearly state that Faiz-e-Elahi mosque is completely safe. The action is limited only to those illegal commercial establishments that fall within the scope of the court's orders,” the Delhi minister added.

After the demolition drive in Ramlila Maidan, BJP leader Dilip Jaiswal on Wednesday said that the government and court were clear on their stand that government land and transportation routes cannot be blocked, according to ANI news agency.

“After the court’s order, the government took action to clear all illegal encroachments, whether it is a mosque or a temple. People have no right to encroach on public land...” Jaiswal said.

DCP Nidhin Valsan said that before the demolition drive, the police had given an explanation to the locals and showed them the court orders. Valsan said the police had reached the site along with the MCD team.

“Around 150 people gathered here, the majority of which were just curious to know what was happening, we explained them and showed them the court's orders. Around 25 people did not leave the area, and started pelting stones,” Valsan said, according to ANI news agency. Following this, the police used force in retaliation, and the demolition began, the DCP said.

Deputy Commissioner of the City SP Zone (CSPZ), Vivek Agarwal, said the demolition drive was carried out after the Delhi High Court's order, ANI news agency reported.

Agarwal said the matter had been pending in high court for a long time, confirmind that the area was around 36,400 square feet. “There was a two-story wall surrounding it with a single-story structure built on top...” the DC said.

Delhi demolition drive LIVE updates: The Delhi Police has detained one person from near the Faiz-e-Elahi Masjid, Turkman Gate, ANI news agency reported.

A video released by ANI shows the person being taken by the Delhi Police personnel.

Delhi minister Ashish Sood on Wednesday said that those involved in the clashes during the anti-encroachment drive near the Faiz-e-Elahi mosque would be punished, adding that some had already been arrested.

“The guilty will be punished, and some of them have also been arrested,” Sood told ANI news agency, adding that the bulldozer action was taking place in accordance with a court order. “This is an unfortunate incident. There was a court order against the commercial establishments that had been built around the mosque,” Sood said.

Joint CP (Central Range) Madhur Verma said that during the demolition drive, “a few miscreants attempted to create disturbance by indulging in stone pelting.”

“The situation was promptly brought under control through measured and minimal use of force, ensuring that normalcy was restored without escalation,” Verma added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan said the MCD had scheduled the demolition during the intervening night of January 6 and January 7. Police personnel had been deployed at the site.

However, around 100-150 people gathered when MCD machinery, including the JCBs, was about to arrive, Valsan told PTI news agency.

Delhi demolition drive LIVE updates: During the drive, heavy security had been deployed in the area. Madhur Verma, Joint CP (Central Range) said the drive came on the directions of the Delhi High Court.

“In order to ensure smooth conduct of the demolition programme and to maintain public order, comprehensive law and order arrangements were put in place by Delhi Police,” Verma said, adding that the area was divided into nine zones and each placed under supervision of an officer of the rank of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Delhi demolition drive LIVE updates: The Delhi Police in a statement said teargas shells had been used to disperse the crowd, according to PTI news agency.

Earlier, purported videos of the site showed police firing what appeared to be tear gas shells, while groups of people were seen throwing stones at security personnel moving through the area. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.

Delhi demolition drive LIVE updates: Clashes erupted amid a demolition drive by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi near the Faiz-e-Elahi in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan. Five police personnel were injured even as the drive turned violent, according to officials.