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.
The #MeToo movement that has hit the film industry also singed the media with journalist Prashant Jha stepping down on Monday as chief of bureau and political editor of Hindustan Times and the media house looking into the allegations of sexual misconduct against him.
The graffiti, painted on a 300 feet long stretch of road in Ahiritola area, tells the tale of hardships and the circumstances that force a woman to get into the flesh trade.
Pakistan's Supreme Court today reserved its judgement on the final appeal against the execution of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death in a blasphemy case.
Punjab had placed the request to fund the events connected with the birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev, which falls in November next year.
Panthic Issues ruled on a “politically hot” Sunday in Punjab, with three major political parties — the ruling Congress, opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) — projecting themselves as the ‘saviours’ of the Sikh community and trading political barbs.
