The policemen who were there to provide security used the teargas to disperse crowds of people who had gathered around to witness the demolition at the Outering road and the Eastern bypass.

The demolition of Taj Mall begun on Saturday morning bringing to an end an extended legal battle between the owner Rameshchandra Govind Gorasia and the government.

An irate Gorasia challenged those behind the demolitions to come out and face him, maintaining that he would not bring down the mall.

“I am saying this openly to any authority, I am not going to remove this structure, not even to my death! If they want to remove it, they come and do it themselves,” Gorasia said.

Taj Mall was one among the 4000 buildings targeted for demolitions by government because they were built on riparian land.