DELHI: BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation is going to carry out a two-day anti-encroachment drive in Jahangirpuri area where violent clashes broke out allegedly following stone-pelting on Hanuman Jayanti Shobha Yatra on Saturday.
The encroachment removal drive will be conducted on Wednesday and Thursday.
The development was confirmed by a letter from the MCD to the Delhi Police asking for 400 police personnel for “maintaining law and order” during the drive.
“The special joint encroachment action programme comprising PWD, local body, police and Works/Maintenance Department, Health Department, Sanitation Department, Veterinary Department and Enforcement Cell of North DMC is to be fixed in Jahangirpuri area,” the letter from the MCD to the northwest DCP read.
“You are therefore requested to provide at least 400 police personnel including lady police/outer force for maintaining law and order during the encroachment removal action on April 19 or April 20 and April 21 (9:30 am onwards) as per your convenience for three days,” it said.
The move comes in response to BJP’s demand for demolishing illegal properties of the perpetrators.
Locals have blamed trouble makers belonging to the Muslim community and illegal Bangladeshis living in the neighbourhood that saw violent clashes in which several persons including two cops were injured.
As many as 23 people, from both Hindu and Muslim communities, have been arrested over their role in the violence, with one Ansar emerging as the main accused in the matter.
A police officer today alleged a “deep-rooted conspiracy” behind the skirmish and said that the masterminds are still at large.
The move to demolish illegal structures in Jahangirpuri appears to be in line with a new trend being set by BJP governments by demolishing properties of criminals, which was first started by the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh.
After Yogi returned with a massive majority in UP in the last elections, BJP governments in other states like Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have also followed the suit.