A major anti-encroachment operation orchestrated by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi unfolded dramatically in the narrow lanes of Old Delhi's Turkman Gate area during the pre-dawn hours of January 7, 2026, targeting unauthorised structures adjacent to the century-old Faiz-e-Elahi Mosque and its adjoining graveyard, resulting in heated confrontations as locals gathered to protest the sudden action.
The meticulously planned overnight drive, commencing around 1:30 a.m. with heavy machinery including approximately 17 to 30 bulldozers and supported by extensive police deployment, aimed to dismantle illegal constructions such as a banquet hall (baraat ghar), a private diagnostic centre, parking facilities, and sections of roads and footpaths that encroached upon public land near Ramlila Ground, strictly adhering to a Delhi High Court directive from November 12, 2025.
Tensions rapidly escalated when a group of around 25-30 individuals, described by authorities as miscreants, began pelting stones at the security forces safeguarding the demolition teams, leading to minor injuries sustained by at least five police personnel and compelling officers to deploy tear gas shells in a measured response to disperse the crowd and regain full control of the situation.
Also Read: Supreme Court Directs CAQM to Act on Delhi Pollution and Toll Plazas Without Delay
Senior police officials, including Joint Commissioner Madhur Verma and DCP Nidhin Valsan, confirmed that the core mosque structure on the 0.195-acre leased waqf land remained untouched, with the action limited to areas beyond this boundary where no valid ownership documents had been provided by the mosque's managing committee or the Delhi Waqf Board, as outlined in an MCD notice issued on December 22, 2025.
The operation proceeded despite a petition from the mosque committee challenging the demolition order, prompting the Delhi High Court on January 6 to issue notices to key entities including the MCD, Delhi Waqf Board, Ministry of Urban Development, and others, scheduling the next hearing for April 22, 2026, amid assertions that the disputed land qualifies as notified waqf property under exclusive tribunal jurisdiction.
Also Read: Sonia Gandhi Health Update: Stable in Hospital After Asthma Worsened by Delhi Pollution