Mob pelts stones as PCMC razes 11 ‘illegal’ religious structures; 7 cops injured

Over 500 police personnel, including 150 from the Maharashtra Security Force (MSF), were deployed to handle any law and order situation. A police vehicle was also damaged in the stone-pelting, the police said.

The operation resulted in the demolition of illegal structures covering approximately 28,001 square feet, officials said.

“Taking strict action against unauthorised constructions in the city without any compromise is the administration’s responsibility. Removing illegal structures is essential for the planned and sustainable development of the city. The administration will not shield any form of illegal construction. Such drives will continue systematically to ensure the integrity of urban infrastructure, safety, and adherence to the law. Citizens are urged to obtain all necessary permissions before undertaking any construction,” said Municipal Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi, who supervised the operation along with Additional Municipal Commissioner, Police Commissioner Vinoy Kumar Choubey, and other senior police officers.

The operation also involved 12 executive engineers, 32 deputy engineers, 18 junior engineers, 42 civil engineering assistants, and staff from an electricity distribution company.

The structures were removed using 22 Poclain machines, 26 JCBs, and 120 labourers, while four fire tenders and two ambulances were kept on standby.