NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Wednesday registered an FIR and detained five people in connection with the violence that erupted during a demolition drive near the century-old Syed Faiz Elahi Mosque in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan area, an official said.
Locals protested the demolition and at least five police personnel sustained minor injuries when some people allegedly pelted stones and glass bottles at the force. Around 20-25 people were involved in the incident, police said.
According to officials, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was carrying out demolition on the land adjoining the mosque and a nearby graveyard at Turkman Gate, following the directions of the Delhi High Court.
The mosque was not damaged during the drive, an MCD official said.
In a statement, police said that tear gas shells were used to disperse the crowd and maintain law and order, after which the situation was brought under control and normalcy restored.
Officials said efforts are underway to identify those involved in the stone-pelting incident. Police are also probing whether the violence was a "pre-planned attempt" to disrupt the demolition drive.
The police said an FIR has been registered against unknown persons under sections related to rioting, assault on a public servant, and obstruction of government duty.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan, immediately after receiving intimation from the MCD regarding the decison to carry out demolition on the land, the police contacted local residents and informed them that it was a legal action. He added that the police took people of the area into confidence and received considerable cooperation from them.
However, around 100-150 people gathered when MCD machinery, including JCBs, was about to arrive. He said most people dispersed after being persuaded.
MCD's Deputy Commissioner Vivek Kumar said the demolition drive was carried out in compliance with a High Court order, during which around 36,000 square feet of the area was cleared.
The cleared area included one diagnostic centre, a marriage hall and two two-storey boundary walls, declared as encroachments by the court, Kumar said.
Around 30 bulldozers and 50 dumpers were deployed at the site. Over 300 MCD workers and officials were engaged in the drive, which continued through the night, MCD officials said.
Joint Commissioner of Police (central range) Madhur Verma said that in order to ensure the smooth conduct of the demolition drive, comprehensive law and order arrangements were put in place by the Delhi Police.
The entire area was meticulously divided into nine zones, each placed under the supervision of an officer of the rank of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police. Adequate deployment of police force was made at all sensitive points, Verma added.
Prior to the demolition drive, several coordination meetings were held with members of the Aman Committee and other local stakeholders, with the objective of maintaining peace and preventing any untoward incident.
All possible preventive and confidence-building measures were undertaken, Verma said.
“During the course of the demolition, 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," he said.
"Delhi Police remains committed to maintaining law and order while ensuring that all judicial directions are implemented in a lawful, professional and sensitive manner,” he added.
