What Led to the Violent Demonstrations During the Demolition Drive in Delhi?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Protestors clashed with police during a demolition drive in Delhi.
- Violence included stone-pelting and barricade damage.
- Several police officers were injured in the confrontation.
- Legal action has been initiated against identified individuals.
- Community reactions highlight the broader implications of such unrest.
New Delhi, Jan 7 (NationPress) The unrest that erupted during the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's demolition drive near the Faiz-e-Ilahi mosque in Turkman Gate began in the early hours of Wednesday. A group of protestors gathered at the location, disregarded police directives, and engaged in stone-pelting, as detailed in the FIR filed by a police constable present in the vicinity.
The FIR, which was obtained by IANS, outlines the events leading to the violence, beginning with the police establishing barricades around the encroached area. Locals began chanting provocative slogans and subsequently hurled stones at the police, who attempted to explain that the demolition was confined to illegal constructions and would not affect the adjacent mosque.
The confrontation escalated at around 12:40 a.m. when police began to cordon off the area. Approximately 30 to 35 individuals gathered, shouting slogans and obstructing law enforcement from executing their duties.
The protestors were warned to disperse due to the implementation of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which addresses public nuisance and potential danger. Instead of complying, the crowd grew more aggressive, amplifying their slogans and attacking police personnel with stones.
Footage of the violence, including instances of stone-pelting and barricade damage, spread across social media, igniting outrage among netizens over the assault on law enforcement.
According to the FIR, one protestor even snatched the loud-hailer and destroyed it. The report states, 'They not only obstructed and attacked the policemen on duty but also broke the loudspeaker, barricades, and assaulted officers with stones.'
Several police officers, including the SHO, sustained injuries from the attack and were subsequently treated at LNJP hospital.
Additional forces were summoned to quell the violent protestors, leading to the demolition of illegal structures surrounding the religious site.
The FIR has been filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 221 (obstructing a public servant), 132 (assaulting a public servant), 121 (voluntarily causing harm), 191 (rioting), 223 (A) (disobedience to orders), and 3(5) (joint liability), along with provisions from the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.
The five individuals named in the FIR have been identified as Mohd Shahawaz, Mohd Aarib, Mohd Kasif, Mohd Adnan, and Mohd Kaif, all residents of the Chandni Mahal area.