RAF withdrew pellet guns after July 20 student protest as internal probe flags protocol lapses

The Rapid Action Force (RAF) withdrew pellet guns from crowd-control duty days after the July 20 student protest in Delhi, following allegations that the weapons were used against demonstrators and an internal inquiry that flagged multiple procedural lapses.

Officials familiar with the probe said at least a dozen RAF personnel were issued pump action pellet guns on the morning of July 20, but the weapons were withdrawn beginning July 23 after controversy erupted over their alleged use. The inquiry has also quoted an RAF inspector as saying he never ordered personnel under his command to fire the weapons.

According to officials, investigators are identifying which officers were issued the pellet guns and the number of cartridges allocated. The probe is also examining reported deviations from standard operating procedures, including allegations that some personnel fired above the prescribed waist-level target.

The RAF team under scrutiny was deployed near the Grand Charkha installation above Pallika Bazar between 1 pm and 5 pm as protesters marched toward Jantar Mantar. Personnel told investigators they resorted to stronger crowd-control measures after stone-pelting allegedly targeted Delhi Police and RAF teams, amid concerns that protesters could advance toward Parliament during the Monsoon Session.

CRPF headquarters is awaiting the final report from RAF Inspector General Seema Dhundia, who has already held review meetings with RAF officers and the CRPF leadership. The assessment reportedly identified several operational lapses, prompting directions for all CRPF and RAF personnel to prominently display name tags and refrain from giving media interviews or posting about operations on social media.

The use of pellet guns has sparked widespread criticism from Opposition parties, students, and policing experts. While pellet guns are listed in the RAF’s crowd-control manual as a non-lethal option, this was the first reported use of the weapons against protesters in Delhi. Similar guns have previously been deployed in Jammu and Kashmir, while plastic bullets were used during the 2021 farmers’ protests.

Five people, including a journalist, have alleged they were struck by pellets during the July 20 protest, while the family of a 19-year-old student has also claimed he was injured in the firing. Following the end of the protests, CRPF Director General G.P. Singh said the force would conduct a professional post-event review before announcing its findings.