Delhi Police filed a case under new BNS laws and arrested five people for stone-pelting during an MCD anti-encroachment drive at Turkman Gate. The violence erupted as officials began demolition near Faiz-e-Elahi Masjid, injuring five personnel.
Case Registered Under BNS, 5 Arrested
Delhi Police on Wednesday registered a case under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and other laws in connection with a stone-pelting incident that erupted during an anti-encroachment demolition drive carried out by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) near Faiz-e-Elahi Masjid in the Turkman Gate of the national capital.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Central Range) Madhur Verma told ANI that the case has been registered under sections 121, 123 and 221 of the BNS, along with section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and section 191 (rioting). Five people were arrested on the spot in connection with the violence that broke out on Tuesday night. "Delhi Police have registered a case under Section 121, 123, 221 of BNS, Section 3 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and Section 191 (rioting) in connection with the incident of stone pelting at Turkman Gate last night. Five people were arrested on the spot. The matter is being investigated by the Special Staff Inspector," Verma said.
Police Detail Demolition Drive and Investigation
He added that police are collecting further evidence using technological tools and visual documentation from the site. "More evidence is being collected with the help of the body-borne cameras worn by Delhi Police personnel and videography from the spot. Further investigation will be done on that basis," he said.
The incident occurred during an anti-encroachment demolition drive conducted by the MCD near Faiz-e-Elahi Masjid, close to Ramlila Maidan, following directions from the Delhi High Court. According to Delhi Police, the demolition was carried out in the early hours of January 7, after several coordination meetings were held with members of the Aman Committee and other local stakeholders to maintain peace and prevent any untoward incident.
Despite these measures, soon after the demolition began, around 25-30 people allegedly pelted stones at police and MCD officials who had arrived at the site with JCB machines to remove illegal encroachments, as per the court order. As a result, five police personnel suffered minor injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central District) Nidhin Valsan said that minimal force was used to control the situation and push back the crowd. "The action started around 1 am. MCD conducted demolition as per the High Court's orders on the encroached land. Stones were pelted at the Police at night. We used minimal force to push back. Overall, the process was very smooth. Four to five officers suffered minor injuries. As soon as we receive the CCTV, ground, and body camera footage, we will identify the perpetrators and take legal action," he told ANI.
Probe into social media videos, MP's presence
Delhi Police have also taken cognisance of videos circulating on social media that allegedly attempt to provoke violence. Verma said that the individuals behind such content will be summoned and questioned. "A few videos have come on social media and our team has also detected a few videos wherein attempts are being made to instigate hooligans. They (people who posted) 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.
Responding to questions about the presence of a Samajwadi Party (SP) Member of Parliament at the site, the Joint Commissioner said that preliminary findings suggest the MP was present earlier but not at the time the demolition began. "In a preliminary investigation, it has come to light that he was indeed present there, but he had left by the time the demolition began. This is being investigated. If something comes forth, it will be acted on," Verma said.
Political Reactions to Demolition Drive
Meanwhile, political reactions poured in from across the spectrum.
BJP Defends MCD Action
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla launched a sharp attack on the Samajwadi Party, alleging that certain groups were instigating violence. Speaking to ANI, he said, "The religious structure was not even touched, and the action was taken only against illegal encroachments. There is a 'jamaat' in our country called the 'BBC- Bhadkau Bhaijaan Committee' which instigates people and supports illegal activities."
BJP MLA Karnail Singh also welcomed the demolition drive, stating, "The law is taking its course, and everything is happening according to the law."
Delhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh defended the demolition drive, asserting that the MCD acted strictly in accordance with the law and court orders. "MCD followed the court order. There was an illegal occupation on the Ramlila ground where a banquet hall was operating. All illegal structures will be removed. While we talk about public welfare, some religious people try to mislead the public and spread rumours, which lead to such incidents (stone-pelting). Such incidents will not have any effect as we want to have a clean Delhi," Singh told ANI.
Congress Offers Mixed Reactions
Congress leader Salman Khurshid said the masjid itself had not suffered any damage, that the matter was in Court, and that action was taken only after the Court denied relief. "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," he told ANI.
Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit termed the demolition a "good step" if it was aimed at removing illegal structures, but alleged selective targeting. "This is a good step if the action is being taken to remove illegal structures. It looks like the BJP government targets a particular religion. It is not right to do violence against the officials who are following the orders of the MCD or the court," he said.
Opposition Parties Condemn Demolition
Criticising the timing of the demolition, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha called it "an intolerable and insensitive step." He said, "In which country of the world do you carry out this work in the cold night of January? This is an intolerable and insensitive step by the government. People are living there. The government should make alternative arrangements. This behaviour is not appropriate when people are sleeping on a cold January night."
AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan alleged that the demolition was illegal and claimed the land belonged to Waqf property. He told ANI, "The land falls under the 123 property, and this is the Turkman Gate issue. It is Waqf land, comprising 123 properties. This is part of the 123 property, and it was demolished illegally... They are just doing Hindu-Muslim politics."
AAP MLA Gopal Rai also condemned the demolition drive, demanding a focus on rehabilitation rather than demolition. "Since the BJP government came to power, it's not about one place. Still, this government is carrying out the demolition of encroachments and people's homes across Delhi. I think the government should work on rehabilitating people rather than demolishing their homes," he said.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticised the demolition, alleging procedural lapses and loss to Waqf property. "The fact is that this whole land belongs to Waqf. The Delhi Waqf Board should have become a party in the case. As a result, the court took a wrong decision," he told ANI. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)