Demolition stopped, situation under control: Delhi Police
Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 20 Apr, 2022 10:05 AM
New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) Delhi Police Special Commissioner of Police Dependra Pathak said that the situation at the Jahangirpuri area of Delhi, where violence broke out four days ago, is completely normal and under control in the wake of demolition drive carried out by the Municipal Corporation.
"The demolition process has now been stopped and the law and order situation is under control. We're maintaining peace and tranquillity in the area," the Special Commissioner said while speaking to the reporters.
He also said that the police in large numbers were there to only provide protection to the civic agency while they carried out the demolition process. "We have adequate deployment and we are also in touch with the citizens of the area to maintain peace," the Special CP said.
The anti-encroachment drive began in the violence-hit Jahangirpuri area at around 10.40 a.m. in the morning. The first demolition was of a tobacconist's shop and then the JCB proceeded further to demolish another juice-cum-tobbacco vendor next to it. A double storey scrap dealer's shop was also razed to the ground.
Suddenly at around 11.10 a.m., the news of the Supreme Court ordering status quo over the demolition drive broke out and the bulldozers were halted to further carry out the demolition.
But in just 20 minutes, at 11.30 the JCBs again started the drive and a 2-storey juice corner was demolished at first after a brief halt.
The owner of the shop kept screaming and weeping, asking for help from the mediapersons, however, within minutes his shop was also razed to the ground. "My shop has been here since 1977. Why are they not checking my papers? Why is no official coming to talk to me. My shop was alloted by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA)," asked Ganesh Kumar Gupta, owner of the Juice corner.
The people residing in the vicinity of the demolition drive could be seen, watching the whole process from the rooftops and the windows of their houses. While speaking to IANS, several among them expressed their resentment over the government's strict action which came just four days after the severe communal clashes.
Congress-ruled state wants to take full credit for the celebrations that will see the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and President Ram Nath Kovind. However, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is eyeing to take a political mileage
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public gathering at Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur after inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor on November 9, say sources in the union home ministry.
Six non-local labourers were shot dead by militants on Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. All six were from West Bengal, police sources said.
At least 19 people have been injured in the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore and the condition of six of them is critical, Army sources said on Monday.
With the BJP raking up the demand for awarding the Bharat Ratna to Veer Savarkar, the Congress has countered it by seeking the country's highest civilian award to Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru.
A group of Sikh devotees from India, part of a religious procession, on Monday started off their spiritual journey from Delhi to Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, the birthplace of founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev, the High Commission here said.
