New Delhi: At least five police personnel were injured after violence broke out during an anti-encroachment drive near a mosque in Delhi’s Turkman Gate area early on Wednesday. The clashes occurred when officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi police, began a demolition drive near the Syed Faiz Elahi mosque and graveyard at Turkman Gate, following directions from the Delhi High Court. Delhi Police has detained 10 people on charges of stone-pelting.
MCD demolition drive
VIDEO | Delhi: MCD carries out demolition drive against illegal encroachment near Faiz-e-Elahi mosque, Turkman Gate.#DelhiNews #TurkmanGate
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/wXSFi4lfA9
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 7, 2026
According to the police, around 300 MCD officials and workers were present at the site when a group of 25 to 30 people allegedly began pelting stones at security personnel. Five policemen sustained minor injuries in the incident. Police said tear gas was used to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control.
Senior police officer Nidhin Valsan said unauthorised structures, including a banquet hall and a dispensary, were demolished during the drive. He added that the drive was conducted during the night to minimise inconvenience to the public. Authorities said action would be taken against those involved in the stone-pelting.
VIDEO | Delhi: DCP Nidhin Valsan on demolition drive against illegal encroachment near Faiz-e-Elahi mosque, Turkman Gate, says, “About 25-30 people were involved in stone pelting on police teams in which five policemen sustained minor injuries. We had to use tear gas to control… pic.twitter.com/I40xzyWCfQ
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 7, 2026
Police officials stated that over 100 video clips are being examined to identify those responsible for the violence. A case will be registered based on statements from injured policemen and MCD workers.
Turkman Gate demolition drive
For the operation, officials deployed around 30 bulldozers and nearly 50 dump trucks to remove illegal constructions. The demolition followed a Delhi High Court order issued in November 2025, which granted three months to the MCD and the Public Works Department to clear encroachments spread over 38,940 square feet at the Ramlila Ground near Turkman Gate.
In December, the MCD announced that all constructions beyond 0.195 acres of land were unauthorised and liable to be demolished. Officials said no documents had been submitted to establish legal ownership or possession of the land by the mosque’s managing committee or the Delhi Waqf Board. The leased land houses the mosque and was not targeted in the drive.
The encroachments included parts of a road, footpath, parking space, a “baraat ghar” and a private diagnostic centre. Earlier this month, MCD officials faced protests while marking the encroached area, prompting heightened police deployment.