Five people have been arrested in Delhi’s demolition drive violence, and police claim to have seen a Samajwadi MP there

Five persons were detained by the Delhi Police on Wednesday in relation to the violence that broke out during a court-mandated anti-encroachment drive close to a mosque in Turkman Gate, Old Delhi. Police discovered during the investigation that Mohibullah Nadvi, an MP for the Samajwadi Party, was there and allegedly incited the crowd.

“Five accused have been arrested so far and that the investigation into a larger conspiracy is underway. Action will be taken against all those who incited violence,” Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Madhur Verma, said.

When the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was conducting a demolition operation on land adjacent to the Syed Faiz Elahi mosque and a nearby graveyard, some individuals threw stones and glass bottles at the force, injuring five police officers. Adil Qasim, Mohammad Kaif, Mohammad Arib, Ujaif, Azim, and Irfan were named by the police as those who reportedly threw stones at them.

According to investigators, Adnan, another accused, and Sameer reportedly produced and shared audio messages and videos that went popular on WhatsApp. Following an order from the Delhi High Court, the push to destroy unapproved structures—the majority of which are 100 years old—started at one in the morning.

The MCD’s ruling was based on a division bench of the High Court’s order dated November 12, 2025, which gave the PWD and the municipal body three months to remove 38,940 square feet of encroachments at the Ramlila Ground near Turkman Gate. On January 4, MCD officials went to the site to mark the encroached land after receiving the notice, but they encountered opposition from the community, which led to an increase in police presence.

Additionally, the Delhi Police stated that it was keeping a careful eye on social media activity because a number of posts and videos were purportedly shared to provoke people and create rumors.

An MCD official clarified that Syed Faiz Elahi Mosque was not damaged during the demolition drive.

Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, reacting to the incident, said the encroachment removal was carried out as per the court order. “It is the police’s responsibility to implement the court order,” he said.

According to MCD officials, the drive involved more than 300 employees and officials and lasted all night. About thirty bulldozers and fifty dumpers were used as part of the demolition effort to remove rubble and clear encroachments from the site.A sizable encroached area, including buildings that the court had ruled to be unlawful, was cleared as a result of the demolition. As they continue their investigation, the authorities are looking at the controversial videos connected to the incident.