The Delhi High Court delivered a body blow to Mohammad Ubaidullah’s defense by canceling his bail in the Turkman Gate stone-pelting frenzy that marred a routine anti-encroachment exercise. This move validates police claims of orchestrated violence against state machinery.
Details from the FIR reveal a midnight confrontation: as barricades went up near Faiz-e-Ilahi Masjid, dozens converged, hurling projectiles and slogans aimed at halting the drive. Wounded officers and vandalized assets underscored the assault’s ferocity, with investigations tracing incitement to WhatsApp networks run by area strongmen.
Ubaidullah, a 23-year-old local, was nabbed with peers Mohammad Naved and Faiz for spearheading the melee. Trial court leniency granted him freedom, but the High Court intervened sharply, critiquing the order’s superficial treatment of evidence. ‘Arguments were noted but not engaged with meaningfully,’ the judges stated in their verdict.
Beyond the courtroom, the episode fuels debate on Delhi’s urban renewal battles. Turkman Gate, nestled in the walled city’s labyrinth, symbolizes clashes between preservationists, residents, and planners. Encroachments here not only strain infrastructure but also encroach on historic skylines.
Police hail the ruling as a deterrent, pledging intensified surveillance against mob mobilization via social media. Ubaidullah’s surrender looms, potentially extending his stint behind bars as the trial progresses.
Observers predict ripple effects, urging trial courts to heighten scrutiny in public order cases. This saga reminds all stakeholders of the thin line between protest and anarchy in India’s bustling megacity.