Late on the night of January 6th, around 1 AM, an encroachment removal operation was carried out on land adjacent to a mosque and cemetery near Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. Acting on orders from the Delhi High Court, the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) used 17 bulldozers to demolish a banquet hall, a diagnostic center, and shops built on the land.
When the operation was being carried out near the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque at Turkman Gate, a crowd pelted stones at the workers and police. The crowd broke through barricades to try and stop the demolition, but the police dispersed them using tear gas.
Joint Commissioner of Police, Central Range, Madhur Verma, said that the situation is under control. The entire area has been divided into nine zones, with an ADCP-level officer in charge of each zone. Adequate police force has been deployed in sensitive areas. Those involved in the stone-pelting will be identified through video footage.
DCP Nidhin Valsan said that the MCD acted on the orders of the Delhi High Court, and the operation is still ongoing. Four to five officers sustained minor injuries in the stone-pelting. Here's the full story:
The management committee of the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque challenged the Delhi MCD's order of December 22, 2025, in the Delhi High Court. The order stated that the structures built on 0.195 acres of land outside the mosque were illegal and would be removed.
The MCD claims that no documents proving ownership or legal possession of the additional land were presented. This MCD order was issued based on the directions of a High Court division bench on November 12, 2025.
The division bench's order directed the removal of approximately 38,940 square feet of encroachment near Ramlila Ground at Turkman Gate, including roads, footpaths, a banquet hall, parking, and a private clinic.
The mosque committee claims that the land is Waqf property and that they pay lease rent to the Waqf Board. They stated that they do not object to the removal of encroachments. The banquet hall and clinic have already ceased operations. Their main objection concerns the cemetery. January 6: High Court Issues Notice
On January 6, the Delhi High Court issued a notice on a petition challenging the order to remove encroachments (a banquet hall and a diagnostic center) from land adjacent to a mosque and cemetery.
The court sought responses from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Ministry of Urban Development, the Delhi Development Authority, the Delhi Waqf Board, and other departments involved in the case.
Justice Amit Bansal stated that the matter was maintainable and directed all parties to file their replies within four weeks. The next hearing is scheduled for April 22.
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