A major anti-encroachment drive by Western Railway in Garib Nagar, Bandra East, turned violent on Wednesday when residents protested the demolition of an alleged illegal mosque built on encroached railway land. Several police personnel were injured in stone-pelting incidents, prompting a lathi-charge by security forces to disperse the crowd.
The demolition drive, backed by a Bombay High Court order, aims to clear unauthorised structures near Bandra railway station to free up railway land for infrastructure upgrades. On the second day of the five-day operation (May 19-23), authorities razed over 200 houses and structures, including the three-storey illegal religious structure, as part of efforts to remove encroachments spanning roughly 5,300 square metres.
According to officials, around 50-60 protesters gathered at the site and opposed the demolition of the mosque. During the protests, some miscreants resorted to stone-pelting, injuring multiple policemen. The police had to use batons to disperse the crowd.
After the situation was brought under control, police recovered a large number of stones and footwear from the spot, suggesting the mob was prepared for confrontation. Over 1,000 police personnel have been deployed in the area, and arrests are underway based on facial recognition and local intelligence.
The situation has since been brought under control, though heavy security remains in place. Police teams are now conducting searches in nearby localities to identify and detain the attackers. Seven people have been arrested so far, and an FIR has been registered.
Bandra, Maharashtra: A demolition drive is underway in the Garib Nagar area of Bandra to remove illegal constructions near the station, including an unauthorised religious structure. Police resorted to a lathi charge to control the crowd after some individuals created a ruckus… pic.twitter.com/8wggwXwIeA
— IANS (@ians_india) May 20, 2026
Talking about the stone pelting, Abhinav Deshmukh, Additional Police Commissioner, said, ”Today, in the jurisdiction of Nirmal Nagar Police Station, an anti-encroachment drive is being carried out by the Railway Administration, which is being carried out in accordance with the orders of the Municipal Court. Today, some anti-social elements tried to indulge in stone-pelting, but the Mumbai Police used appropriate force and dispersed them from the area. We have also taken seven suspects in custody. The FIR is being carried out. The Mumbai Police will take strong action against anyone who tries to do this…”
Western Railway authorities stated that the cleared land near Bandra railway station will facilitate the expansion of the fifth and sixth lines on the Santacruz-Mumbai Central corridor, enable better connectivity between Bandra suburban station and Bandra Terminus, and support the development of an integrated complex at Bandra Terminus, including additional platforms and facilities. The project also aligns with broader infrastructure goals, such as improved access to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train station in the nearby Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC).
Only about 100 residents identified as eligible in the 2021 survey qualify for rehabilitation, while the rest are being treated as illegal encroachments on railway property. This has resulted in strong resentment from the affected families. The demolition drive is being carried out jointly by the railway administration, civil authorities, police and railway security agencies to ensure smooth execution and maintain law and order during the operation.
The eviction drive follows long-standing safety concerns raised by the railway regarding encroachments near tracks. Authorities have assured that the operation will proceed as per court directives while maintaining law and order.
