New Delhi

The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Praveen Khandelwal on Wednesday said that the action was carried out strictly in accordance with the law, reacting to the demolition drive and incidents of stone pelting in the national capital.

Speaking with ANI, he stated that the demolition was undertaken in accordance with clear directions from the High Court and that all due procedures were followed. Khandelwal emphasised that the authorities acted within the legal framework and no arbitrary action was taken during the drive.

BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said, "The action was taken following the orders of the High Court. The entire action was taken as per law".

Earlier, Delhi Police on Wednesday registered an FIR against unknown persons in connection with the stone-pelting incident at Turkman Gate, where a police team came under attack during an official action in the area.

Police officials said further legal action will be taken once the identification process is completed and sufficient evidence is gathered.

Meanwhile, tensions were also reflected in local reactions. A local told ANI, "The Barat Ghar was built later; earlier, there used to be a graveyard..."The people from Dargah built the Barat Ghar after removing the graveyard. There used to be a graveyard here earlier...The Barat Ghar should not have been built here."The situation in the area remains under control, with police maintaining a deployment to prevent further disturbances, officials said.

Earlier, four to five police personnel sustained minor injuries after stones were pelted during an MCD demolition drive on encroached land near Turkman Gate early Wednesday, police said

"The action is still ongoing. MCD is doing the demolition. We have deployed our security staff. The action started around 1 am. MCD conducted demolition as per the High Court's orders on the encroached land. Stones were pelted at the Police at night. We used minimal force to push back. Overall, the process was very smooth. Four to five officers suffered minor injuries. As soon as we receive the CCTV, ground, and body camera footage, we will identify the perpetrators and take legal action., DCP Nidhin Valsan said.

Madhur Verma, Joint Commissioner of Police, Central Range, told ANI, "During the course of the demolition, a few miscreants attempted to create a disturbance by indulging in stone pelting. The situation was promptly brought under control through measured, minimal use of force, restoring normalcy without escalation.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the City S.P. Zone (CSPZ), Vivek Agarwal, said, "The action has been taken following the orders of the Court. The action was carried out overnight; the structure spanned 4,000 square metres, and 32 JCBs were used to demolish it. We will try to clear the demolition waste. No one was hurt during the stone pelting. The police worked very well and controlled the situation.

Police officials said the situation in the area remains under control and adequate security arrangements are in place to ensure the smooth completion of the demolition drive. Pursuant to the directions of the High Court of Delhi, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) carried out a demolition drive at the encroached area in the vicinity of Faiz-e-Elahi Masjid, Turkman Gate, near Ramlila Maidan, Delhi, in the early morning hours of January 7, 2025, according to an official statement from Delhi Police."To ensure smooth conduct of the demolition programme and to maintain public order, comprehensive law and order arrangements were put in place by Delhi Police. The entire area was meticulously divided into nine zones, each placed under the supervision of an officer of the rank of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police. Adequate deployment of police force was made at all sensitive points," the statement read.

Before the demolition drive, several coordination meetings were held with members of the Aman Committee and other local stakeholders to maintain peace and prevent any untoward incidents. All possible preventive and confidence-building measures were undertaken, according to Central Range Joint Commissioner of Police, Madhur Verma.

However, officials said a "few miscreants" attempted to create a disturbance by pelting stones, and the situation was promptly brought under control through "measured and minimal use of force.

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Delhi Police remains committed to maintaining law and order while ensuring that all judicial directions are implemented in a lawful, professional and sensitive manner, the statement added.

Meanwhile, authorities deployed approximately 17 bulldozers to remove the unauthorised structures in the area.