Mumbai:
A public prosecutor told a court in Mumbai’s Bandra that violence during the high-stakes anti-encroachment drive in Garib Nagar was part of a pre-planned conspiracy, not a spontaneous protest.
A 150-strong mob threw stones at police and demolition officials and used cement blocks to halt bulldozers. The violent agitation resulted in injuries to three police personnel. The local police resorted to a lathi-charge to regain control and have arrested 18 people so far.
According to officials, the final phase of the encroachment drive is underway, with 85 per cent of the demolition work already completed. The authorities have reclaimed nearly 5,000 square meters of land essential for the critical 5th and 6th rail line expansion.
Also read: 16 Arrested For Stone Throwing During Anti-Encroachment Drive In Mumbai
Court Battle Over Violence
The public prosecutor justified serious charges, including Section 109 (attempt to murder), imposed on the accused. The lawyer contended that the coordinated nature of the attack against police and Railway Protection Force teams necessitated custodial interrogation to identify the masterminds behind the violence.
The defence countered by challenging the transparency of the drive, claiming the demolition of a local mosque was unauthorised and without proper documentation. The lawyer alleged that the Bombay High Court’s original demolition order did not explicitly cover religious structures.
Also read: Cops Gained Total Control Of Situation: D Fadnavis On Bandra Stone-Throwing
Meanwhile, displaced residents expressed deep resentment that the demolitions were carried out just days before the scheduled Eid celebrations on May 27.
The Western Railway is carrying out the anti-encroachment drive in slums, which house 500 illegal structures adjacent to the eastern side of the Bandra railway station. The drive was launched based on the Bombay High Court’s directions.
