Bandra demolition drive violence: 16 held so far; cops acted only after coming under attack, says CM

Sixteen persons were arrested and more than 150 are wanted in connection with the stone pelting incidents during a demolition drive near Bandra station on the Western Railway network, police said on Thursday.

The demolition drive, to free around 5200 square metres of land, began at Garib Nagar area between Bandra station and Bandra Terminus on Tuesday, with the process facing heavy resistance on Wednesday as crowds gathered to block the razing of a mosque there.

Police had to resort to baton charge two times to bring the situation under control, an official said.

More than 1,000 personnel were deployed for the operation, including around 400 from Mumbai police, 400 from Railway Protection Force (RPF) and railway police as well officials from various railway departments, he said.

While authorities said the drive was carried out following directions from the Bombay High Court, those living in these structures alleged they were not given enough time to remove their belongings before the bulldozers rolled in.

Social media videos showed the stone pelting as well as the subsequent lathi-charge. Local residents alleged even children and women were hit by police personnel.

A Nirmal Nagar police station official identified those arrested as Dilshad Sheikh (19), Zakir Abbasi (30), Sajid Ansari (26), Salauddin Sheikh (26), Raheem Khan (19), Arban Mohammad Furkan (21), Nazim Rafiq (20), Dilshad Ahmed (46), Israr Khan (19) and Mobin Abdul Hameed Khan (26).

They were arrested under Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 109 (attempt to murder), 121(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort confession, or to compel restoration of property), unlawful assembly), among others, he said.

The official said 150 persons are wanted in connection with the violence and CCTV footage etc was being checked to nab them.

The injured police personnel are Prateek Jadhav (36), Chandrakant Debare (45), Navnath Mudgul (45), Omkar Koli (34) and Dattatray Bagul (45), who were discharged after treatment at nearby hospitals, the official added.

Speaking about the incident during the day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted that police acted only after coming under attack.

''During the anti-encroachment drive (on Wednesday), some people threw stones at the police. The situation was brought under control and those involved in stone-pelting were arrested,'' Fadnavis told reporters here.

As per WR, unauthorised shanties are being removed to clear the area for upgradation of railway infrastructure.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)