Did Imam’s speech incite mob?

Several people including four cops were injured when police used batons and teargas on a stone-pelting crowd protesting the demolition of an illegal religious structure in South Delhi

Did Imam's speech incite mob?

Several people including four cops were injured when police used batons and teargas on a stone-pelting crowd protesting the demolition of an illegal religious structure in South Delhi

Thousands of cars were stranded for hours in Nizamuddin area of south Delhi on Wednesday as an irate mob pelted stones and damaged vehicles, after officials of Delhi Development Authority (DDA) demolished an illegally built mosque nearby following Delhi High Court's orders.

Wrong end of the stick: Policemen wield batons against demonstrators
protesting against efforts by local authorities to demolish what cops
described as an illegally built mosque in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Pics/Imtiyaz Khan

Police used teargas shells and batons to disperse a large number of people protesting the bulldozing of the mosque that was built on government land.

Several people including some policemen were injured. The demolition was carried out by DDA in Jangpura B block area at around 6am on Wednesday amidst heavy police presence.

So to speak
According to sources, trouble began when prominent Muslim leaders including Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Ahmed Bukhari and LJP MLA Shoaib Iqbal arrived at the scene. As a crowd gathered, the leaders started making speeches. Sources say many objectionable words and statements were used by the speakers. The mob allegedly turned violent after the last few sentences were uttered by Imam Bukhari.

"The demolition of the mosque was the order of the High Court and the DDA was conducting the process on Wednesday morning. The mob became violent and started pelting stones. We used mild force to control the crowd and four cops suffered injuries in the incident. The area has been cordoned off as a precaution," confirmed Rajan Bhagat, Additional DCP and PRO of Delhi police.

The Jangpura area turned in to a battlefield. It took cops almost three hours to get things under control. The area was cordoned off by the police after the incident and no one was allowed to pass through Jangpura.

'Following orders'
According to Mangej Singh, Deputy Director (DDA), the religious structure was built illegally on DDA land and was demolished after a committee approved it.

"A slum and this structure had come up on DDA land. We had cleared the slums earlier but did not touch the structure as we needed clearance from the committee looking into demolition of such structures and as the committee ordered we did the same," he said.

Local MLA TS Marwah suffered some injuries in the police lathicharge and started demonstrating in front of the Nizamuddin police station. The protestors were there till late at night.

Jam Session

Most of the roads leading to south Delhi were choked Wednesday and traffic was diverted to other areas as people protested the demolition of an illegal religious structure in Jangpura area by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
Office-goers were stuck for hours as there were serpentine queues on roads leading to Jangpura in south Delhi.
Traffic jams were reported from Ring Road, Mathura Road, Nizamuddin, Lajpat Nagar, Moolchand, Ashram Chowk, Bhogal and other adjoining areas. Traffic was diverted leading to heavy rush on other routes. "As a precaution we have cordoned of the area and nobody is allowed to enter till conditions improve," said Rajan Bhagat, PRO of Delhi police.

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