MCG enforcement team attacked near Mahavir Chowk

Gurugram: An enforcement team of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) was allegedly attacked with stones and thrashed by a dozen men near Mahavir Chowk on Saturday, officials said. At least two officials were injured in the incident, one of whom was taken to the Civil Hospital for medical aid.

According to MCG officials, the enforcement team was in the process of regulating about 40 illegal street vendors stationed outside shops near Mahavir Chowk and moving them to a newly set up vending zone near the Sector 12 bus stand when the incident happened. One MCG enforcement wing official was thrashed by multiple people and suffered minor injuries while another official was hit by a stone, severely injuring his right hand.

“We suspect that the men who attacked our team were owners of shops outside which the street vendors were stationed. They are likely to have some tie-up with the vendors for monetary gains, and when the team started relocating them, they attacked. We have informed police about the incident and they are investigating the matter,” a senior MCG official privy to the matter said.

“We have received a complaint from the MCG and are investigating the incident,” Preet Pal Sangwan, assistant commissioner of police (crime), said. Based on a complaint filed by the MCG, an FIR was registered against unidentified people at the Sector 14 police station for obstructing a public servant, causing hurt to a public servant, assaulting a public servant, and punishment for criminal intimidation under sections 186, 332, 353, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The MCG announced that the civic body would relocate all illegal street vendors to their nearest vending zones at its house meeting held on Thursday. The corporation had 148 street vending zones until last month, where 1700 street vendors operated. Vendors offer food and beverages at nominal rates at these zones which are usually set up on a vacant plot or near a public market. MCG officials informed that they are adding 132 more vending zones for accommodating illegal vendors.

“As announced in the MCG house meeting, we are relocating illegal street vendors to their nearest vending zones. We will not allow any vendor outside a designated zone. We were shifting street vendors from Mahavir Chowk as part of the exercise as they were causing traffic congestion in the area,” Vijaypal Yadav, joint commissioner, MCG, said.

There have been several incidents of violence against MCG officials recently. An official from the MCG’s Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) team was assaulted by a Badshahpur resident in May. A month earlier, the MCG’s enforcement team was rescued by Gurugram police after they were allegedly held captive by residents of Carterpuri village for over three hours.