Mumbai: Residents pelt stones at civic staff, cops during anti-encroachment drive; over 10 injured
The civic anti-encroachment team had gone there to clear allegedly illegal structures, which number around 400 on an open plot, along with a posse of police personnel for security, but residents started protesting claiming they had been living there for the past 25 years, an official said.
Security personnel deployed after clashes erupted over Junagadh Municipal Corporation’s anti-encroachment drive near the Majewadi Gate, in Junagadh district (PTI)
MUMBAI: More than 10 police personnel, including an assistant commissioner of police, and some Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation staffers were injured on Thursday in stone pelting during an anti-encroachment drive in Powai in north east Mumbai, officials said.
The incident took place at 1pm at Jai Bhim Nagar slum colony near Hiranandani Hospital there, they added.
The civic anti-encroachment team had gone there to clear allegedly illegal structures, which number around 400 on an open plot, along with a posse of police personnel for security, but residents started protesting claiming they had been living there for the past 25 years, an official said.
The residents of Jai Bhim Nagar claimed they were given eviction notices by the civic body on June 1.
Amid police warnings to the protesting group to allow civic anti encroachment action to continue, some people started pelting stones, the official said.
"More than 10 police personnel, including an ACP who has been hospitalised, and some BMC officials were injured in the stone pelting. The drive was stopped for some time but stone pelting continued. In order to bring the situation under control, police resorted to mild force," he said.
A video of the stone pelting incident went viral on social media.
It showed men and women throwing stones and police and civic staff running for cover.
BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani inspected the site following the incident, a police official informed.