Two more accused arrested in Delhi's Turkman Gate stone-pelting incident, total now 18

Delhi Police on Sunday arrested two more accused in the Turkman Gate stone pelting case, in which around 25-30 people pelted stones at police and MCD officials after they arrived at the spot with JCBs to demolish illegal encroachment near Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque, as per a High Court order.

The accused have been identified as Fahim alias Sanu and Shehzad. With their arrest, the total number of people held in connection with the case has risen to 18.

Earlier, the Delhi Police imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) around Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque in Delhi, restricting gatherings following the recent stone-pelting incident near the gate area, officials said on Friday. It had appealed to people to offer prayers at home.

On Thursday, Delhi police confirmed that 30 individuals have been identified for their alleged involvement in the violence. The identification was made using CCTV footage and viral videos circulating on social media. As a result, police teams have launched raids at multiple locations to take the remaining suspects into custody.

On January 7, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) conducted a demolition drive at the encroached area in the vicinity of Faiz-e-Elahi Masjid, Turkman Gate, near Ramlila Maidan, Delhi, after the High Court's order, which was announced at early morning hours of the day, according to an official statement from Delhi Police.

During the demolition drive, around 25-30 people pelted stones at police and MCD officials after they arrived at Turkman Gate with JCBs to demolish illegal encroachment, as per a court order. As a result, five police personnel suffered minor injuries in the incident. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Central District, Nidhin Valsan, the police personnel received treatment at the nearby hospital.

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.”