Gir Somnath: A demolition drive being carried out to remove illegal encroachments on government land turned tense in Prabhas Patan today after a mob pelted stones at the police. The incident occurred during the demolition of an illegal ‘Rangeela’ dargah.

The police resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd after several women also clashed with personnel on duty. As the crowd swelled, the police fired three tear gas shells to bring the situation under control.

According to officials, the demolition is part of an ongoing drive to remove encroachments from government land. However, resistance from local residents led to a confrontation with the police.

Upon learning about the incident, Superintendent of Police Jaideepsinh Jadeja and other senior officers rushed to the spot. Police have since cordoned off the area and launched a combing operation in nearby localities.

The district police chief stated that the situation is currently under control and urged people not to believe in rumors. He confirmed that stones were pelted at the police during the demolition of religious structures.

The district administration has been conducting a mega demolition drive over the past few days to clear illegal constructions on government land. Earlier today, around 12 residential and commercial buildings were also demolished under this campaign. The demolition work remained peaceful until the afternoon but turned violent when an illegal dargah was being razed. DeshGujarat