A violent clash erupted in Old Delhi's Turkman Gate area on January 7, 2026, during a Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) anti-encroachment drive near the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque, located directly opposite Turkman Gate and adjacent to Ramlila Maidan. The operation, carried out in the early morning hours with around 17 bulldozers, targeted illegal structures on public land, including a banquet hall, diagnostic center, and other constructions declared encroachments by the Delhi High Court. At least five police personnel were injured in stone-pelting incidents involving about 25-30 people, prompting police to use tear gas to disperse the crowd. Authorities have registered an FIR, detained several individuals, and emphasized that the mosque itself remained untouched and safe throughout the action.

The controversy traces back to the mosque's history; it was founded around 80 years ago and named after Sufi saint Shah Faiz Ilahi, whose grave is nearby. Locals describe the site as originally a dargah (shrine) that evolved into the current mosque. According to Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh, before independence, the land on the edge of Ramlila Maidan was claimed as a graveyard, with approximately 900 square meters allocated for that purpose in 1942. The mosque was subsequently built on this allocated land, which the management committee claims as its own, supported by relevant documents.

Over the years, particularly since around 1999, the mosque's management committee allegedly encroached on adjacent public land belonging to Ramlila Maidan, gradually constructing permanent structures. These included rooms for accommodation, a two-story banquet hall, a diagnostic center, and a library, covering approximately 4,047.55 square yards (about one acre). The Delhi High Court, in a November 2025 order, directed the MCD and Public Works Department to clear roughly 38,940 square feet of such encroachments within three months, leading to the recent drive after prior notices and surveys.

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The incident highlights ongoing tensions over land use in historic Old Delhi areas, where claims of historical waqf properties intersect with civic efforts to reclaim public land. While the mosque committee has challenged aspects of the removal orders in court, asserting limited objections mainly to protect any associated graveyard beyond the core allocated area, officials maintain the action strictly complied with judicial directives and targeted only unauthorized extensions. Normalcy has since returned to the area under heavy security, with investigations continuing through CCTV and body-camera footage to identify those involved in the violence.

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