The demolition of a mosque that had allegedly been built illegally over DDA land led to strong protests by local residents in Nizamuddin area on Wednesday morning. The police had to resort to use of tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd, which damaged more than a dozen vehicles. Four policemen, including a sub-inspector, were injured as the incident led to traffic jam for more than three hours on Mathura Road.
According to the police, a big police contingent was deployed in Jangpura B-Block around 6 am for the demolition. The police had barricaded the area to prevent vehicular movement. However, a large number of protesters gathered at the Hazrat Nizamuddin police station and marched towards the demolition spot. When the police stopped them, they resorted to stone pelting. When the protesters tried to break through the cordon, the police lobbed tear gas shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse them.
Meanwhile, local Congress MLA Tarwinder Singh Marwah claimed that he sustained injuries when he tried to pacify the crowd. The MLA from Matia Mahal, Shoaib Iqbal, and the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Ahmed Bukhari, also addressed the gathering. In the ensuing melee, the crowd damaged at least 17 private vehicles in the area.
There was huge traffic build up right up to Ashram and towards Oberoi Hotel. Those going to or leaving the Nizamuddin Railway Station had a tough time as the approach roads had been blocked. “The traffic jam remained for at least three hours,” said a Delhi traffic police official.
Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam, claimed that the mosque existed on land belonging to Wakf Board and not the DDA. However, the DDA officials maintained that the structure was built illegally on its land.
“On September 28, 2010, the Delhi high court ordered the demolition and said that the DDA would face contempt proceedings if it failed to act within four weeks. Efforts were being made, but we were able to execute it only today,” said a senior DDA official, adding that the claims about the mosque being old one were false as its demolition was approved by a high-powered committee of the Government of India looking into such issues.