At least ten people were taken into custody after a group of miscreants tried to breach police barricades and hurled stones at officers during a pre-dawn demolition operation in Old Delhi on Wednesday. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd and successfully brought the situation under control. Officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi stated that the demolition began around 1 a.m. near the Faiz-e-Ilahi mosque in the Turkman Gate area. The operation aimed to remove unauthorised structures—many of them over a century old—following a directive from the Delhi High Court. During the confrontation, four to five police personnel sustained minor injuries.

Police confirmed that an FIR has been registered against those responsible for the stone-pelting, using evidence collected from CCTV cameras and officers’ body cameras. So far, five suspects have been identified. A total of 17 bulldozers were deployed as part of the anti-encroachment drive. The demolition continued even after the Delhi High Court issued a notice on Tuesday regarding a petition filed by the Masjid Syed Elahi managing committee, which challenged the MCD’s decision to remove alleged encroachments from land near the mosque and an adjoining graveyard at Ramlila Maidan. Local residents strongly opposed the action and gathered at the site to protest. Police said sufficient personnel were deployed to prevent further unrest.

Encroachments included parts of a road, footpath, community hall, parking area, and a private diagnostic centre. A senior police officer said the action was carried out according to the High Court’s orders and that only minimal force was used to control the disturbance. Joint Commissioner of Police Madhur Verma stated that a few individuals attempted to disrupt the operation but the situation was quickly stabilised without escalation.

The MCD’s action followed a November 12, 2025 ruling by a High Court division bench, which directed the civic body and the Public Works Department to clear nearly 39,000 square feet of encroached land near Ramlila Ground within three months. The case originated from a petition by the Save India Foundation, represented by advocate Umesh Chandra Sharma. A joint survey conducted in October 2025 had confirmed the presence of encroachments on land belonging to agencies such as the MCD, PWD, and LDO.

When officials attempted to mark the encroached areas on January 4, they faced resistance from locals, leading to enhanced security arrangements. The mosque committee has argued that the land is a notified waqf property under the Waqf Act, claiming it pays lease rent to the waqf board and that only the Waqf Tribunal has jurisdiction over disputes related to the land.

In anticipation of disruptions, Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory warning commuters of congestion around Ramlila Maidan and nearby areas. Major traffic delays were expected on JLN Marg, Ajmeri Gate, Minto Road, Delhi Gate, BSZ Marg, and NS Marg. Several roads were fully closed, including the stretch from Kamla Market roundabout to Asaf Ali Road near the Hamdard Building. Traffic restrictions were also imposed on routes leading toward JLN Marg and along Maharaja Ranjit Singh Marg until the demolition work concluded.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV.