Indian authorities raze mosque, hundreds of homes in Mumbai
Demolition drive near Mumbai railway station sparks clashes after authorities tear down mosque and hundreds of informal homes in Muslim-majority area
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Authorities in India’s financial capital Mumbai demolished hundreds of informal homes and a mosque near Bandra railway station on Wednesday, triggering protests and heavy police action in one the city’s densely populated Muslim-majority areas.
Several protesters were injured after police used batons to disperse crowds opposing demolition drive, while authorities later launched operations to identify and detain demonstrators using facial-recognition technology and local intelligence networks.
Officials said the operation targeted structures allegedly built on railway land, including hundreds of huts and a mosque located near Bandra Terminus, one of Mumbai’s busiest railway stations.
According to railway authorities, the demolition campaign was launched under an “anti-encroachment drive” following directions from Bombay High Court, one of India’s highest state courts.
Authorities said nearly 5,300 square meters (57,000 square feet) of railway land would be cleared to facilitate future expansion and redevelopment projects around the station.
Plans for redevelopment include elevated roads, additional railway platforms, maintenance facilities and multi-story commercial infrastructure, officials said.
Residents and local Muslims protested demolition, accusing authorities of using excessive force and targeting vulnerable low-income communities already facing housing insecurity in Mumbai, India’s most expensive city.
Police claimed some protesters threw stones during clashes that erupted at the demolition site after dozens gathered to oppose the operation.
More than 1,000 police personnel were deployed during the drive, according to officials.
Local Muslim residents alleged that police later conducted searches and raids in nearby neighborhoods to identify people who participated in protests.
Authorities said several individuals had already been identified through surveillance systems and intelligence gathering.
The Western Railway authority said around 18% of approximately 500 huts identified in the area had already been removed and the demolition campaign would continue through May 23.
Demolition operations described by authorities as “anti-encroachment drives” have become increasingly controversial across India in recent years, particularly when they affect Muslim neighborhoods, mosques and low-income settlements.
Rights advocates and housing activists have accused authorities in several Indian states of disproportionately targeting marginalized communities under urban redevelopment and land-clearance policies, allegations officials reject.
Mumbai faces one of the world’s sharpest urban inequality crises, with millions of residents living in overcrowded informal settlements vulnerable to eviction because of rising land pressures and infrastructure expansion projects.
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