Five police officers injured during Turkman Gate demolition drive
An anti-encroachment demolition drive conducted by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) turned violent early Wednesday morning at the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque near Turkman Gate in Central Delhi, leaving five police officers injured after locals and miscreants pelted stones at security personnel. The incident occurred around 1:00 AM as authorities began clearing illegal structures in accordance with a Delhi High Court order.
Following the stone-pelting, police used minimal force to push back the crowd. Approximately 10 people have been detained for questioning, and Delhi Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against unidentified individuals. Investigators are currently scanning CCTV footage, ground visuals, and body-camera recordings to identify additional suspects involved in the attack.
The demolition operation, which involved approximately 17 bulldozers, aimed to remove illegal constructions around the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque. The Delhi High Court had previously declared an adjoining dispensary and a community hall to be illegal and directed the administration to remove them.
Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Ravindra Yadav confirmed that the action began at 1:00 AM on the encroached land following the court's directive. Yadav stated that the MCD conducted the demolition as per the high court's orders and that minimal force was used to push back the crowd after stones were pelted at the police.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan stated that security staff had been deployed to secure the area. Valsan added that four to five officers suffered minor injuries during the clash. He noted that once authorities review the CCTV, ground, and body-camera footage, they will identify the miscreants and take legal action.
Local administration officials have appealed to residents in the Turkman Gate area to maintain peace. Meanwhile, the Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory warning of congestion on several key roads, particularly around Ramlila Maidan and its adjoining areas, which were expected to experience traffic disruptions throughout Wednesday.
