At least five police personnel were injured in clashes that broke out during an anti-encroachment drive near a mosque in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan area on Wednesday, PTI reported.

The clashes occurred when the Municipal Corporation of Delhi was carrying out a demolition drive on land adjoining the Faiz Elahi Mosque and a nearby graveyard at Turkman Gate.

An unidentified official of the civic body was quoted as saying that the mosque was not damaged during the drive.

The Delhi Police have detained five people and lodged a first information report in connection with the violence, The Indian Express reported. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan told the newspaper that “the five were detained based on beat intelligence for questioning and to cross check with CCTV footage,” adding that other individuals involved in the clashes are being identified.

The FIR has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to obstructing a public servant, using assault or criminal force to deter a public servant, voluntarily causing hurt to prevent a public servant from performing their duty, rioting and disobeying a public servant’s order, as well as under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

Valsan told PTI that the municipal corporation had scheduled the demolition for the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, after which police personnel were deployed at the site.

Around 100-150 persons gathered at the spot when the demolition machinery was about to arrive.

Madhur Verma, Joint Commissioner of Police, Central Range was quoted as saying by The Hindu that “a few miscreants” attempted to create disturbance by throwing stones.

“The situation was promptly brought under control through measured and minimal use of force, ensuring that normalcy was restored without escalation,” the newspaper quoted him as saying.

The demolition drive followed a December 22 order of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi declaring that structures beyond 0.19 acres of land around the mosque were encroachments and liable to be removed, The Hindu reported.

The civic body said that no documentary evidence had been produced to establish ownership or lawful possession of the land by the mosque’s managing committee or the Delhi Waqf Board. The mosque is located within the 0.19-acre land.

The corporation’s order was issued after a November 12 direction of a division bench of the Delhi High Court, which granted the civic body and the Public Works Department three months to clear 38,940 square feet of encroachments near Ramlila Ground at Turkman Gate, The Hindu reported.

However, on Tuesday, the Delhi High Court said that the matter “requires consideration” while hearing a plea filed by the mosque’s managing committee challenging the December 22 order.