Muslim properties razed in New Delhi after communal violence

By SHEIKH SAALIQ
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — Authorities in India have used bulldozers to raze a number of Muslim-owned shops in New Delhi before the Supreme Court halted the demolitions. The actions came days after communal violence shook the capital and saw dozens arrested. For nearly an hour after the Supreme Court order, officials continued to demolish structures, including the outer entrance and stairs into a mosque, before retreating. Shop owners searched through the rubble of their shops afterward to collect their belongings. Officials say the demolition drive targets illegal buildings and not any particular religious group. But anti-Muslim sentiment and attacks have risen lately, and critics see the demolitions as the latest attempt to harass and marginalize Muslims under India’s Hindu nationalist-led government.