Portions of mosque, houses in Shalimar Bagh razed by MCD

…stretch had been carried out earlier, they said. There was no immediate response from MCD. Mohammad Shamsad Ansari, a resident, said bulldozers and security personnel began arriving in the area around 8pm Tuesday. “ They started demolishing portions of the mosque around 12-1am without waiting for members of the mosque committee. Little time was given to people to vacate, and the belongings kept inside the religious place could not be removed or shifted ,” he alleged. Ansari said the first and second floors of the mosque were termed illegal by the civic authorities and demolished. “This mosque is many years old. If these portions are being called illegal, then…

…mosque committee had earlier been called for a meeting by MCD, they had not been informed that the structure would be demolished. Questioning the demolition of the mosque’s portions, Ranjana, another resident, said, “ Enough space for constructing a two-lane road had been created after a major demolition action in April. Work on the drains along the side of the road facing the mosque was also underway. ” Residents also raised concerns about the impact of the demolition on tenants and families living in the affected houses. “Many residents have limited resources and belongings, and are struggling to meet their daily…