The Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Sunday carried out a demolition drive and razed illegal portions of a house linked to one of the accused in the Uttam Nagar Holi clash case, in which a 26-year-old man was killed earlier this week.
According to a PTI report, heavy police and paramilitary deployment remained in place in the area to maintain law and order. A senior police officer told the news agency that the locality had been divided into zones, sectors and sub-sectors for close monitoring.
Police sources cited have said that the civic authorities reached the locality with bulldozers and demolished only the "illegally constructed parts of the structure and not the entire house."
Officials of the civic body said the action was taken as part of a drive to remove encroachments built over drains in the area. “Since the monsoon is approaching, we are removing illegal construction built upon the drains as they disturb the water flow. The structure was built on the drain,” a senior official from the civic body’s west zone told PTI.
During the operation, the area was cordoned off and security personnel were deployed while a bulldozer brought down portions of the structure under the supervision of officials. Debris and dust filled the street as residents and onlookers gathered nearby while the demolition continued.
A senior police officer told PTI that extensive arrangements had been made to prevent any breach of law and order. “Zones are being monitored by the Dwarka DCP, sector areas by ACPs and sub-sectors by senior officials including SHOs. Companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and police teams from neighbouring districts have also been deployed,” the officer said.
The action came a day after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta condemned the killing and said the government follows a zero-tolerance policy against “heinous criminal and violent acts”.
According to police, the violence occurred on March 4 in the JJ Colony area of Uttam Nagar, where 26-year-old Tarun was killed during a clash between his family and their neighbours. Police said the altercation reportedly began after water from a balloon thrown by a girl from Tarun’s family splashed on a woman from the neighbouring family.
Police had earlier said the two families had known each other for nearly five decades and had disputes over issues such as parking and garbage disposal.
Authorities have so far arrested six persons and apprehended a minor in connection with the case. The accused have been identified as Umardeen (49), Jummadeen (36), Kamruddin (36), Mustaque (46), Muzzafar (25) and Tahir (18), along with a minor. Provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and murder charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita have been invoked in the FIR, PTI reported citing police.
Following the incident, tensions flared in the area, with an angry mob damaging several vehicles and setting some on fire on Friday, prompting heightened security deployment.
(With inputs from PTI)