Stone-Pelting, 13 Injured, FIRs Filed: Bandra's Garib Nagar Demolition Enters Tense Day 3

Last Updated:May 21, 2026, 12:54 IST

The drive has disrupted daily life near one of Mumbai's busiest transit hubs — BEST bus 310 now originates from Bandra East depot instead of Bandra Terminus.

Western Railway’s court-ordered demolition drive at Garib Nagar slum near Bandra railway station entered its third consecutive day on Thursday, with over 1,000 security personnel deployed after violent clashes on Day 2 left at least 13 people injured, triggered stone-pelting, a lathi-charge, and a political blame game that shows no signs of cooling.

The five-day operation, ordered by the Bombay High Court, targets approximately 500 unauthorised structures spread across 5,200 square metres of Western Railway land near Bandra East — property estimated to be worth around Rs 600 crore. Authorities confirmed that 60 per cent of the demolition work had been completed by the end of Day 2.

What Sparked The Violence

Day 2 began peacefully at 8 AM, but tension escalated sharply around 3 PM when demolition crews moved to raze an alleged illegal religious structure near the Bandra East skywalk — where a private telecom tower had also allegedly been installed.

Protesters hurled stones, utensils and other objects at police and railway officials, triggering a lathi-charge. At least 13 people, including Mumbai Police personnel and protesters, sustained injuries in the clashes.

Who Was Injured

Six injured persons were taken to Bhabha Hospital, including police personnel Vipul Vijaykumar Kadam (39) and Manish Bhimrao Bachhaw (44), both discharged against medical advice.

Protesters Vaibhav Gite (25), Fizan Anwaj Khan (22) and A. Rashid Khan (17) were also treated and discharged. Ansar Ali Baig (49) remains admitted in stable condition. Four police personnel were taken to V.N. Desai Hospital — Jitendra Kumar Satender (45) remains admitted, while Navnath Mudgul (45), Omkar Koli (39) and Chandrakant Dhamble (45) were discharged against medical advice.

Nirmal Nagar police have registered an FIR against protesters for unlawful assembly, rioting and assault on government officials. More than 10 people have been detained.

What It Means For Mumbai Residents

The demolition has already disrupted daily life in one of Mumbai’s busiest transit corridors. BEST bus number 310, which originates from Bandra Terminus, has been temporarily rerouted to originate from Bandra East bus depot.

Key routes and foot overbridges near the site remain blocked, causing significant traffic disruption. Passengers heading to Bandra Terminus have been forced to walk stretches with heavy luggage after vehicles were stopped or diverted at barricades.

Railway’s Stand

Western Railway CPRO Vineet Abhishek stated that the drive strictly follows the Bombay High Court’s directions, with safety and legal compliance as top priorities.

He said the operation is being carried out in coordinated protocol among railway, civil and police authorities, ensuring that eligible structures identified in earlier surveys remain protected while unauthorised encroachments are cleared.

The Political Angle

The demolition has drawn sharp reactions from opposition leaders. Congress leader Husain Dalwai questioned whether a proper survey was conducted before the drive, noting that the court itself had mandated a survey-first approach.

Samajwadi Party state president and MLA Abu Azmi called for a rethink, arguing that citizens without shelter have no choice but to build where they can. “A good government is one that provides a place to live for every citizen," he said, adding that bulldozer politics — which he said began in Uttar Pradesh — “should stop completely."

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