Five Arrested After Violence During Court-Ordered Demolition in Old Delhi; Police Say Samajwadi Party MP Was Present

New Delhi, Jan 7: The Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested five people in connection with violence that broke out during a court-mandated anti-encroachment drive near a mosque in the Turkman Gate area of Old Delhi. Police officials said investigations have revealed that Samajwadi Party Member of Parliament Mohibullah Nadvi was present at the site and allegedly played a role in provoking the crowd. The violence erupted when the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) began removing unauthorised structures from land adjoining the Syed Faiz Elahi Mosque and a nearby graveyard. According to police, the demolition drive was carried out following clear directions from the Delhi High Court. Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Madhur Verma said five accused have been arrested so far and further investigation is underway to identify others involved. He added that police are probing a possible larger conspiracy behind the violence and assured that action will be taken against anyone found responsible for instigating unrest. During the incident, five police personnel were injured after a group of people allegedly pelted stones and glass bottles at security forces deployed at the site. Police said the situation escalated suddenly as the demolition work progressed, forcing them to step in to control the crowd. Officials identified several individuals who were allegedly involved in stone-pelting, including Adil Qasim, Mohammad Kaif, Mohammad Arib, Ujaif, Azim and Irfan. Police also named Adnan and Sameer as accused who allegedly created and circulated videos and audio messages on WhatsApp, which later went viral and contributed to the tension in the area. The demolition drive began around 1 am and targeted unauthorised constructions, many of which were nearly a century old. The action was taken in compliance with a November 12, 2025 order issued by a division bench of the Delhi High Court. The court had granted three months to the MCD and the Public Works Department to clear nearly 38,940 square feet of encroached land near the Ramlila Ground at Turkman Gate. Officials said MCD teams had visited the site on January 4 to mark the encroached area ahead of the demolition. However, they faced resistance from local residents, prompting authorities to deploy additional police personnel to maintain law and order during the operation. Delhi Police said they are closely monitoring social media platforms, as several posts and videos allegedly spread misinformation about the demolition. According to police sources, many social media posts falsely claimed that the mosque itself was being demolished and urged people to gather at the site. Some messages included religious appeals and requests to share the content widely, which further heightened tensions. One particular video that gained attention was allegedly made by Khalid Malik, who, police said, appealed to members of the Muslim community to come out in large numbers by spreading rumours that bulldozers were being used to demolish the mosque. Police believe this video played a significant role in creating panic and unrest in the locality. An MCD official later clarified that the Syed Faiz Elahi Mosque was not damaged during the demolition drive and that the action was limited strictly to illegal encroachments on adjacent land, as ordered by the court. Reacting to the incident, Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the demolition was carried out as per the High Court’s directions. He stated that it was the responsibility of the police and civic authorities to ensure the court order was implemented and law and order was maintained. More than 300 MCD workers and officials were involved in the overnight operation, with around 30 bulldozers and 50 dumpers deployed to remove illegal structures and clear debris. Authorities said the drive resulted in the removal of a large encroached area that had earlier been declared illegal by the court. Police said security has been tightened in the Turkman Gate area as a precaution, but the situation is currently under control and normalcy has been restored. Meanwhile, investigators continue to examine CCTV footage and social media content linked to the incident as the probe continues. Five Arrested After Violence During Court-Ordered Demolition in Old Delhi; Police Say Samajwadi Party MP Was Present Five people have been arrested after violence broke out during a court-ordered anti-encroachment drive near the Syed Faiz Elahi Mosque in Old Delhi’s Turkman Gate area. The demolition was carried out by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) following directions from the Delhi High Court to clear illegal structures from land near Ramlila Ground. According to the Delhi Police, the situation turned tense when a group allegedly began throwing stones and glass bottles at security personnel, leaving five policemen injured. During the investigation, police said Samajwadi Party MP Mohibullah Nadvi was present at the spot and is accused of inciting the crowd. Officials confirmed that a wider probe is underway and action will be taken against all those involved. Police also said several videos and audio messages were circulated on social media and WhatsApp, falsely claiming that the mosque was being demolished. These messages reportedly urged people to gather at the site and added to the unrest. An MCD official later clarified that the mosque was not damaged during the drive. Over 300 MCD workers, along with bulldozers and dumpers, carried out the overnight operation. Authorities say the situation is now under control and security remains tight as investigations continue.