NDMC bulldozers begin drive to remove encroachments in Delhi's Jahangirpuri, heavy security deployed

Heavy police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in Jahangirpuri ahead of today’s anti-encroachment drive in the area, reported ANI.

Image Credit: ANI

New Delhi: Bulldozers belonging to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) arrived in Delhi’s violence-hit Jahangirpuri locality on Wednesday and began removing illegal constructions in the area, reported ANI.

#WATCH | Anti-encroachment drive underway at the Jahangirpuri area of Delhi which witnessed violence on April 16 during a religious procession pic.twitter.com/zIxMVccwSM — ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2022

There is a heavy police and paramilitary forces deployment in Jahangirpuri ahead of today’s anti-encroachment drive in the area, even as the local mayor called it a ‘routine exercise.’

Bulldozer arrived at the Jahangirpuri area of Delhi which witnessed violence on April 16 during a religious procession

Anti-encroachment drive will take place in the area pic.twitter.com/lW9leWXYNs — ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2022

The drive is undertaken a day after Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta wrote to the party-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) to identify illegal constructions of ‘rioters’ in Jahangirpuri and demolish them using bulldozers.

“Our JCBs (excavators) and staff will go to Jahangirpuri to remove illegal encroachment from roads and government land. It is our routine exercise. We will execute it and return,” NDMC Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh said.

The anti-encroachment drive will take place across Delhi. Earlier also we had requested security for the drive but due to some reasons the action was not taken: Raja Iqbal Singh, Mayor, North Delhi Municipal Corporation pic.twitter.com/6seuHuhEVr — ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2022

Delhi BJP spokesperson Khemchand Sharma has thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for ordering the NDMC to carry out drive against illegal encroachments in the Jahangirpuri locality. 

दिल्ली में भी दंगाइयों के खिलाफ सख्त कानूनी कार्यवाही के बाद अब बुलडोजर चलाने का आदेश देने के लिए धन्यवाद @AmitShah जी। @adeshguptabjp जी के द्वारा दंगाइयों के खिलाफ चलाई जा रही मुहिम के अच्छे परिणाम सामने आने लग गये हैं।#DelhiRiots2022 pic.twitter.com/oq1QtOEUqL — khemchand sharma #Brajwasi #RadheRadhe (@SharmaKhemchand) April 19, 2022

Officials said security forces were carrying out a flag march in the area and they took stock of the situation before the drive was launched. A drone has also been deployed to monitor the situation.

Ahead of the drive, people in Jahangirpuri C Block voluntarily removed their belongings from roadsides, they said. The NDMC had on Tuesday requested the Delhi Police to provide at least 400 security personnel to maintain law and order during the two-day drive.

The area witnessed violent clashes, including stone-pelting, arson and firing, between two communities during a Hanuman Jayanti procession on Saturday. Eight police personnel and a local resident had sustained injuries.