Bulldozer action continues at Turkman Gate; 11 arrested so far in the stone-pelting case; Maulana Rashid says, "No action should be taken against innocent people."

Police have intensified their crackdown following the anti-encroachment drive in the Turkman Gate area and the subsequent stone-pelting incident. Six more people have been arrested in connection with the violence.

This brings the total number of arrests in the case to 11. Police say that all those involved are being identified based on videos of the incident, CCTV footage, and local intelligence, and further arrests are possible.

Anti-encroachment drive continues near Ramlila Maidan.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) continued its anti-encroachment drive near Ramlila Maidan early Wednesday morning. The violence erupted near the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque in Turkman Gate during the demolition of illegal structures. A clash ensued between the police and the crowd, resulting in stone-pelting and injuries to five police officers.

Maulana Khalid says, "No action should be taken against innocent people."

Following the tension at Turkman Gate, Maulana Khalid Rashid appealed for peace. He said, "The law should take its course, but no action should be taken against any innocent person."

Tight security during the operation

Following directions from the Delhi High Court, the MCD launched a major campaign against illegal constructions. Approximately 17 bulldozers were deployed, and from 1 AM to 7 AM, structures including a library, banquet hall, dispensary, public toilets, and several other large buildings were demolished.

Security agencies intensify the investigation.

A dispute over the land in this area is ongoing between the petitioners and the MCD. The MCD claims that the mosque management committee or the Waqf Board does not possess any valid documents proving ownership of the land. The petition also mentions that Umar, an accused in the car bomb blast near the Red Fort, had stayed at this mosque for more than 10 minutes. Following this, security agencies increased surveillance and scrutiny of documents in the area.

Difficulty in removing encroachments—three bulldozers required

According to MCD officials, the encroaching structures were so strong that three bulldozers had to be used simultaneously to demolish the walls. Many of the illegal structures were built so thickly and sturdily that the team had to work for hours to demolish them.