Delhi's Shalimar Bagh sees demolition drive at Madina Masjid and nearby houses for road widening project. (Source: ITG)

Delhi's Shalimar Bagh demolition drive razes Madina Mosque, houses for road project

A road-widening demolition drive in Delhi's Shalimar Bagh brought down the Medina Mosque and nearby houses. The action drew allegations from AIMIM leader Shoeb Jamai, who called it unconstitutional and said the imam was not given time to remove documents, copies of the Quran and animals.

by · India Today

In Short

  • Police were deployed heavily during the demolition operation near Max Hospital
  • Authorities said the action formed part of an ongoing road-widening exercise
  • Similar clearance action had earlier been conducted along the same stretch

A demolition drive was carried out in Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh area amid a heavy police presence, with the Medina Mosque and some houses on the road among the structures targeted in the action.

The demolition was carried out as part of a road-widening drive. Similar demolition action had earlier been carried out on the same road as part of the widening exercise.

Delhi's Shalimar Bagh demolition drive razes Madina Mosque, houses for road project

DEMOLITION DRIVE IN SHALIMAR BAGH

The demolition action took place on the road near Max Hospital in Shalimar Bagh, where the Medina Mosque and some surrounding houses were demolished.

A large number of police personnel were deployed in the area during the action.

The development came after previous demolition action had also been carried out along the same road in connection with its widening.

AIMIM LEADER REACHES SPOT

After receiving information about the demolition action at the mosque, AIMIM Delhi Pradesh president Shoeb Jamai reached the spot.

Reacting to the action, Jamai alleged that demolishing the mosque in the middle of the night was unconstitutional. Referring to a previous demolition at a mosque in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, he said Shalimar Bagh would not be allowed to become "Saharanpur Part 2".

Jamai also alleged that the mosque’s imam was not given time to remove documents, copies of the Quran and animals kept inside the mosque before the demolition. He strongly condemned the action.

The demolition drive was carried out amid heavy police deployment in the Shalimar Bagh area.

- Ends
With inputs from Harshit Mishra