Houses, mosques targeted in late-night bulldozer action in Delhi

New Delhi: A demolition drive was carried out late at night in Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh area on Tuesday, September 22, with authorities deploying a heavy force as bulldozers removed encroachments along the road adjacent to a major hospital, resulting in partial demolition of a mosque.

Officials said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) action is part of a road-widening project. The stretch has witnessed previous rounds of anti-encroachment demolitions, and Tuesday night’s drive targeted the remaining structures on the road, including a religious site and some adjacent houses.

A large police contingent was stationed in the area throughout the operation to prevent any untoward incident during the night-time action, officials said.

JCB machines began clearing what officials described as illegal construction on both sides of the road, they said.

Some locals said they had been served notice of the demolition in advance, though they could not independently confirm the timeline or manner of the notice.

Questioning the timing of the drive, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Delhi president Shoaib Jamai said the demolition was carried out at night and asserted that the matter concerning the religious structure was sub judice.