Delhi Police has intensified its crackdown following violent clashes during an anti-encroachment drive near the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque in the Turkman Gate area, arresting six more individuals and identifying social media influencers for allegedly spreading dangerous misinformation.
Fresh Arrests and Political Notices
On Thursday, January 9, 2026, the police arrested six more persons identified as Afaan, Adil, Shahnawaz, Hamza, Atharr, and Ubed. All are residents of the Turkman Gate area and are accused of instigating a mob to pelt stones at police personnel and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) workers. This comes a day after five initial arrests were made.
Authorities are also preparing to send notices to two politicians suspected of instigating the crowd. One of them is Samajwadi Party leader Mohibbullah Nadvi, who was allegedly present at the site before the demolition operation began. Joint Commissioner of Police Madhur Verma stated that preliminary investigations show Nadvi left before the drive started, but his role is under scrutiny.
Crackdown on Misinformation and Influencers
In a significant move against fake news, police have identified 10 social media influencers who allegedly spread the false rumour that the historic mosque had been demolished. A female influencer from this group has been officially summoned for questioning. Police social media monitoring teams flagged a video where she purportedly claimed the mosque was razed.
The trouble began on Tuesday night when these posts prompted a mob of 150-200 people to gather. The violence resulted in injuries to at least five police personnel. Police have collected digital evidence, including a voice note from accused Adnan's phone, where he is allegedly heard urging people to "come out" as "this is not the time to sleep." This message was circulated in large WhatsApp groups of local resident welfare associations.
Ongoing Demolition and Judicial Custody
Meanwhile, the court-ordered removal of encroachments continued on Thursday, with civic authorities clearing debris. MCD officials clarified that the operation targeted around 36,000 square feet of illegally occupied space, including a diagnostic centre, a banquet hall, and boundary walls, while the mosque structure remained completely untouched. Police have shared aerial footage to debunk the demolition rumours.
Of the 25 people identified so far for stone-pelting, 11 are now in custody. The five accused arrested on Wednesday – Kashif, Mohammad Kaif, Areeb, Adnan, and Sameer – were remanded to 13 days of judicial custody by a Delhi court on Thursday. More arrests are anticipated as over a dozen police teams probe a potential deeper conspiracy behind the unrest.
In a related account, Nadeem Malik, father of arrested accused Atharr, claimed his son was picked up after police found videos on his phone that were widely circulated in groups. Atharr was later released on condition to return for questioning, which he did on Thursday morning.
