The Nandpuri area of Jaipur resembled a heavily guarded fortress on Monday ahead of the scheduled demolition of the multi-storeyed Noorani mosque by the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA).
An India Today TV crew reached the area before dawn as the clock neared 5 am on what was expected to be a hectic day. Even before sunrise, the most striking sight in Nandpuri was the overwhelming presence of police personnel, who outnumbered almost everything else in the vicinity.
The JDA action was set to begin in Nandpuri, located around three kilometres from Jaipur airport. At the centre of the drive was the Noorani mosque, a portion of which was allegedly built illegally on land earmarked for an 80-foot-wide road. The action also targeted four other structures, including a shrine, two temples and a dharmshala.
As the morning progressed, security arrangements intensified. The number of police personnel continued to increase around an area already secured with multiple layers of barricades. Personnel in uniform as well as plain clothes guarded the barricades, drawing the attention of passersby who were unaware of the operation that was about to unfold.
Several bulldozers lined up outside the barricaded zone as anticipation grew among local residents. At least six to seven bulldozers stood one behind the other, their drivers waiting for clearance to move beyond the barricades. Mini trucks and other vehicles meant to transport sludge, concrete and debris from the demolition site also assembled nearby.
Authorities asked the operators of these vehicles to deposit their mobile phones with the police before entering the restricted area beyond the barricades, which had been erected the previous night.
The India Today TV team identified a vantage point from where live broadcasts and coverage appeared possible, with the Noorani mosque visible in the background.
However, even after more than an hour at the site, little activity was visible. Around 6:30 am, queries regarding the anticipated demolition were met with limited responses.
Officials and personnel stationed at the barricades repeatedly said the action would begin soon, while also informing journalists that media personnel would not be allowed beyond the security cordon. Some police personnel stationed at the barricades claimed they themselves were unaware of developments closer to the mosque and other structures where the action was to take place.
Journalists present at the site also approached a nearby building to check whether a working WiFi connection was available. The building’s power supply had reportedly been discontinued, possibly as a measure to prevent the dissemination of videos from the demolition site.
A large green cloth covered part of the Noorani mosque as the demolition operation got underway. Authorities appeared to focus on weakening the foundation of the allegedly illegal portion of the structure so that it would collapse from the top.
Despite the covering, parts of the mosque remained visible from the media position, located around 250 metres from the demolition site behind multiple layers of barricades.
The demolition activity gathered pace around 8 am. Soon, clouds of dust and smoke began rising from the site, becoming visible from a distance.
Nearly five hours after the demolition drive began, the portion of the Noorani mosque allegedly built on encroached land collapsed suddenly. The fall caught several television camerapersons off guard, as it was difficult to predict the exact moment of collapse from their distant positions behind the barricades.
Even after the structure came down, activity in the area continued. Trucks carrying sludge, concrete, steel bars and other debris were seen leaving the site. Police personnel remained on high alert and continued to restrict access to the area around the mosque, preventing media personnel and others from approaching the demolition zone.
– Ends