New Delhi | January 8, 2026

The Delhi Police have identified 30 individuals in connection with stone-pelting incidents that occurred during the demolition drive near the Faiz-e-Elahi mosque in Turkman Gate early on Wednesday.

Photographs of those allegedly involved were released by police on Thursday. The images, obtained from CCTV footage and videos recorded during the incident, show masked men present at the site. Authorities are conducting raids to apprehend the individuals named in the photographs, ANI reported.

Clash during demolition drive

The clashes erupted during the demolition of illegal encroachments around the century-old mosque, following a Delhi High Court order. The drive, initiated on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, saw a crowd gather near the site, some of whom hurled stones at the police. In response, officers used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Five people were detained in connection with the incident on Wednesday, and five police personnel were reported injured.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Central Range) Madhur Verma stated that more evidence is being collected through body-worn cameras of police personnel and additional videography from the scene. DCP Nidhin Valsan emphasized that the police used “minimal force” during the operation and assured that legal action would be taken against those involved in stone-pelting.

Security measures and enforcement

Ahead of the drive, security was significantly tightened. 32 bulldozers were deployed at the site under the supervision of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials. Around 800 local police personnel, 10 companies of paramilitary forces, and multiple senior police officers, including nine additional commissioners and 25 assistant commissioners across nine zones, were deployed to maintain law and order.

The demolition drive followed a High Court notice issued on Tuesday in a petition filed by the managing committee of Masjid Syed Elahi, challenging the MCD’s decision to remove encroachments around the mosque.

The police have reiterated that their focus remains on ensuring the demolition drive proceeds smoothly while taking strict action against anyone resorting to violence.