Students took out a Parliament march on July 20. It is alleged that an RAF jawan fired a pellet gun during this.
During the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march in Delhi on 20 July, an RAF jawan fired a total of seven pellet rounds from his pellet gun.
A preliminary CRPF investigation found that five of the rounds hit protesters, while two struck the ground. This information has emerged from sources linked to the case.
According to the investigation, the jawan was deployed in the Connaught Place area. Sources said the firing took place after protesters allegedly attacked security personnel and began pelting stones.
Earlier, the CRPF had launched an inquiry into whether RAF personnel had used pellet guns during the operation.
At least three people were injured by the pellets. They include 25-year-old Irshad Sheikh, who works in Gurugram, 19-year-old Delhi University student Sahil Lochab, and a 28-year-old magazine journalist. All three received hospital treatment.
Sources said that an examination of the RAF personnel’s log records showed that seven pellet rounds were fired, with five hitting protesters and two hitting the ground.
Questions raised over use of force
CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh said the protest has ended and people have returned home.
He added that, like every major operation, the incident will be professionally reviewed, after which the headquarters will present its official findings.
Earlier, media reports said RAF Inspector General (Operations) MA Dhundhia told officials that the “force gradient” used during the 20 July protest did not match the prescribed standards or RAF training.
The observation was made after an internal review identified operational shortcomings.
In policing, “force gradient” refers to using different levels of force based on the situation and the level of threat.
On 22 July, Dhundhia held a video conference with company commanders and commandants deployed in Delhi.
According to sources, the meeting reviewed the RAF’s deployment, role, and actions during the Jantar Mantar protest and the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march. Several corrective instructions were also issued for future operations.
Officials were instructed to use force only when necessary and in a balanced, impartial, and sensitive manner.
They were also told to issue proper warnings before using force, and to use lathi-charge, tear gas, and other approved crowd-control measures in a phased manner, depending on the situation.
