Amidst the ongoing anti-encroachment drive by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, the Hindus in the area were seen voluntarily removing the gates of a temple that was extended outside the legal limit.

A day after NDMC officials razed down many illegal encroachments on public space using bulldozers in the C Block of Jahangirpuri, Hindu devotees arrived at a local temple in the area to remove the gates that were built as an extension.

The gates at the temple were installed as a security measure in the Muslim-dominated neighbourhood and were reportedly beyond the legal area of the plot. Ahead of the government’s anti-encroachment drive, the local Hindus decided to remove them.

The devotees said that they wanted to remove the extra structures voluntarily so that no one should point fingers at them.

Earlier on Wednesday, the NMDC had started its anti-encroachment drive in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area amidst a heavy police presence. Bulldozers brought down illegal structures, shops, and other encroachments. However, within hours of the start of the demolition drive, the Supreme Court granted an injunction to maintain the status quo on the subject and halted the drive.

NDMC demolish illegal structures outside a mosque in Jahangirpuri

The NDMC officials also razed down illegal structures of a mosque from which the stones and empty wine bottles were pelted on the Hanuman Jayanti. The structures were constructed by encroaching the road. The gate of the Masjid was constructed on the road by stretching an extension for almost 10 feet.

The gate was demolished as a part of the demolition drive, and so was a mazaar which was illegally built on the road. Several houses had built extensions on the road, reducing a 30-feet wide road to a mere 10-feet narrow street. Those extensions were all destroyed by bulldozers when the local administration commenced the demolition drive earlier today.

Along with this, numerous surrounding shops were demolished. The action was taken against only those sections of the houses and stores that were under encroachment of government land. 

On April 16, a Muslim mob attacked a Hindu procession celebrating Hanuman Jayanti with stones, bottles, and firearms in the area. So far, over two dozen people have been arrested for the violence. As reported earlier by the media, the region is a hotspot for unlawful encroachment and criminal activity.

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opindia.com