Premium

30-35 people threw stones, snatched police loud hailer: FIR on violence over demolition drive near Delhi masjid

Police have arrested five men in connection with the incident.

4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jan 8, 2026 01:14 PM IST

Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque, Turkman Gate, Delhi, anti-encroachment drive, stone pelting,

Police have arrested five people — Sameer, Mohammad Arib, Mohammad Kasif, Mohammad Adnan and Mohammad Kaif — who were allegedly involved in the stone pelting. (Express photo)

Around 30-35 people allegedly raised slogans and pelted stones during the anti-encroachment drive by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) around the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque in Central Delhi’s Turkman Gate, in the early hours of Wednesday, stated the FIR registered by the Delhi Police in the incident.

The FIR, lodged on a complaint by a constable, stated: “At 12.40 am, I, along with the… SHO and other staff members were carrying out police barricading near Badi Masjid, Turkman Gate, when a crowd of about 30-35 people, raising slogans against the police administration, moved towards the barricades.”

“I, along with the SHO, made announcements through a loud-hailer, informing them that BNSS Section 163 was in force in the area and directing them to disperse immediately. However, they did not comply and continued raising slogans. They broke the barricades and started pelting stones. One person from the crowd snatched the government loud-hailer from my hand and damaged it,” he claimed, as per the FIR.

They obstructed government duty, damaged government property (loud-hailer and barricades), and caused injuries to police staff by pelting stones, he added.

Head Constable Jal Singh and Constable Vikram injured in stone pelting. (Express Photo)

Must Read | The ‘0.195 acre’ near Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan: What is at the heart of the dispute over the Faiz-e-Ilahi mosque?

Police have arrested five people — Sameer, Mohammad Arib, Mohammad Kasif, Mohammad Adnan and Mohammad Kaif — who were allegedly involved in the stone pelting.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Central) Madhur Verma said five alleged stone-pelters have been arrested so far. “We also have images of the others, and they will be arrested soon,” he said.

On whether there was any conspiracy behind the incident, Verma said they cannot rule out any possibility. “We were fully prepared with a plan, and that is the reason we managed to contain the stone-pelting within two to three minutes,” he said.

Story continues below this ad

“We had meetings with peace committee members before the demolition drive. The operation was supposed to be executed peacefully. But there were a few mischievous elements who tried to hinder the operation,” Verma said.

The FIR was registered under BNS sections 221 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 121 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 191 (rioting), 223 (A) (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 3(5) (joint liability) and provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, at Chandni Mahal police station.

The demolition of structures — including a baraat ghar and a dispensary — surrounding a 0.195-acre land tract housing a dargah and the mosque came after the Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused any interim stay on the action.

The mosque, which its managing committee claimed is “more than 100 years old”, is a Waqf property and remained untouched.

Story continues below this ad