New Delhi: Friday prayers were offered in Turkman Gate area amid heavy police deployment, drone surveillance and barricading, even as locals urged authorities to restore normal business activities, saying prolonged restrictions were causing them significant financial losses.
Security arrangements were intensified in the locality in view of Friday prayers following the recent stone-pelting incident.
A large number of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed not only near mosques but also inside narrow lanes and at key intersections, with senior officers supervising arrangements on the ground.
Police drones hovered over the area and CCTV cameras were used to monitor movement, while debris-clearing work at the demolition site continued simultaneously.
Residents said people spoke in hushed tones as security personnel remained stationed inside residential lanes. Barricades were placed at several points to regulate movement, adding to the sense of caution in the neighbourhood.
Despite heavy security presence, locals said there were no restrictions on offering prayers and the situation remained peaceful. However, many residents chose to visit mosques close to their homes rather than larger mosques in the area, citing unease due to the prevailing atmosphere.
“We offered prayers at a mosque near our home. There is no restriction as such to go to the Faiz-e-Elahi Masjid, but obviously people are wary because of what happened recently,” said Shehnawaz, 43, a handicrafts trader.
He said fear and uncertainty has prompted many residents to avoid long walks through heavily guarded streets. “People don’t want to take unnecessary chances, so they are praying wherever they feel more comfortable,” he told PTI.
Shehnawaz said shopkeepers and local establishments were bearing the brunt of the situation. “Our shops have been shut for days and we are suffering losses.
Daily-wage earners, small traders and shop owners like us depend on everyday sales. Some miscreants did something wrong and now the entire area is paying the price for it,” he said, appealing for restoration of normalcy.
Another local shopkeeper said there was no difficulty in reaching the mosque, though police were maintaining strict checks. “We weren’t restricted from going to offer Friday prayers. Police personnel stopped me twice on the way and asked where I was heading. When I told them I was going to the mosque for prayers, they allowed me to pass immediately,” he said.
“There are prohibitions on gathering on the streets, which we understand given the situation, but I am hopeful these will be lifted soon,” he added.
Police officials maintained that the security measures were purely precautionary and reiterated that no restrictions had been imposed on Friday prayers at any mosque. They said the situation remained peaceful and under control.
Delhi Police have so far arrested 12 persons in connection with the Turkman Gate stone-pelting incident and investigations are continuing. Meanwhile, locals said they hoped calm would prevail so that restrictions could be eased and shops reopened, allowing daily life and livelihoods to return to normal at the earliest.
Violence erupted in central Delhi’s Turkman Gate on Wednesday after a court-ordered anti-encroachment drive triggered clashes and stone pelting. Five police personnel were injured in the violence, prompting authorities to lob teargas shells to bring the situation under control.