The Delhi Municipal Corporation took major action amid widespread unrest in the historic Turkman Gate area of ​​the national capital, Delhi, on Wednesday night.

Following an order from the Delhi High Court, the administration bulldozed illegal structures, marriage halls, and shops near the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque.

Violent clashes broke out between local residents and security forces, in which several policemen were injured. The entire area has been cordoned off and turned into a cantonment.

What was the entire matter and the High Court's order?

The dispute centered on the ownership of approximately 38,940 square feet of government land located between Ramlila Maidan and Turkman Gate. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi argued that the land belonged to the corporation, while the mosque management claimed it as its own.

The case was heard in the Delhi High Court before Justice Dharmesh Sharma. On November 12, 2025, the court clarified that the land was for public use and any construction on it was illegal.

The court had directed the Delhi Waqf Board and related parties to vacate the land. The mosque committee filed a fresh petition against this order on Tuesday, but the court issued notices to the central government and the Waqf Board, but refused to immediately stop the demolition process.

The corporation's 'secret operation' began at midnight

Usually, encroachment removal operations are carried out in the morning, but given the sensitivity of the area and the geographical location of Old Delhi, the MCD changed its strategy.

Around 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, while the entire area was asleep, the administration began the operation with approximately 20 to 30 bulldozers and heavy machinery.

Officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Land and Development Office were also present. The corporation team first broke the shutters of the illegal marriage hall and commercial shops adjacent to the mosque and then completely demolished them.

The entire operation was carried out in utmost secrecy to prevent large crowds from gathering under the cover of darkness.

Stone-pelting by protesters and police retaliation

As soon as the sound of the bulldozer and news of the action spread on social media and locally, hundreds of people came out of their homes. Around 4 a.m., the situation escalated when protesters attempted to break through police barricades and began pelting stones.

Five policemen were seriously injured in the stone-pelting, and the windows of some municipal vehicles were also broken. To disperse the crowd, Delhi Police first resorted to lathi-charge and then fired several rounds of tear gas.

The situation became so tense that Delhi Police's Vajra vehicles had to be deployed, and Rapid Action Force units surrounded the entire Turkman Gate and Ajmeri Gate areas.

Conflicting claims by the administration and the mosque committee

The administration maintains that they have followed all guidelines set by the Supreme Court and the High Court. According to MCD officials, the mosque committee was issued several notices in 2025 and given time to remove the illegal structure on their own.

Meanwhile, the mosque committee's lawyer and local leaders say that the property belonged to the mosque under agreements dating back to the 1970s, and calling it an "encroachment" is incorrect.

Local residents alleged that the administration took action in the harsh winter without any humanitarian grounds and also destroyed public facilities like the dispensary, which were useful to the poor.

Security cordon and increased traffic congestion

Due to this action, traffic in central Delhi came to a complete standstill. The Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory early in the morning, closing JLN Marg, Asaf Ali Road, and Minto Road to normal traffic.

Commuters traveling to Old Delhi Railway Station and New Delhi Railway Station faced significant difficulties. For security reasons, the entire area has been divided into nine sectors and monitored.

Security forces have established a presence not only on the streets but also on the rooftops of nearby high-rise buildings to prevent a repeat of stone-pelting incidents. Police are still mapping the area using drones.