A daily diary (DD) entry at Delhi’s Parliament Street Police Station has confirmed that pellet guns were used during the July 20 Parliament march organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over alleged examination irregularities.
The development comes as multiple petitions before the Supreme Court seek a ban on the use of pellet guns for crowd control and compensation for those injured during the protest.
Police Record Details Crowd-Control Measures
According to the police diary entry, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), along with a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Deputy Commandant, authorised crowd-control measures during the protest.
The official record states that the Rapid Action Force (RAF) used:
- 55 non-electric shells
- 15 electric shells
- Five tear smoke grenades
- Two anti-riot gun (ARG) rounds using plastic pellet cartridges
The diary entry reportedly confirms that at least four protesters sustained pellet injuries, with one victim facing the possibility of permanent loss of eyesight.
CRPF Yet to Issue Official Response
The CRPF has not yet issued an official statement on the reported use of pellet guns.
According to reports, an internal review is underway, with several CRPF personnel having reportedly been equipped with pump-action guns (PAGs) capable of firing pellets during the July 20 deployment.
The force is also awaiting a detailed report from RAF Inspector General Seema Dhundia regarding the crowd-control operation.
Supreme Court Petitions Challenge Pellet Gun Use
Former IPS officer Yashovardhan Azad, along with pellet injury victims Prashant Kumar Singh and Sheikh Irshad Mansoori, has approached the Supreme Court seeking directions to prohibit the use of pellet-firing weapons for dispersing civilian gatherings.
The petition requests:
- A nationwide ban on metallic or partially metallic pellet projectiles.
- Compensation for protesters injured during the July 20 demonstration.
- Medical treatment, rehabilitation and long-term care for victims.
- Policy reforms governing crowd-control practices.
The matter is expected to be mentioned before the Supreme Court for consideration alongside other petitions related to the July 20 protests.
Supreme Court Signals Nationwide Guidelines
On Monday, the Supreme Court observed that peaceful protest is a constitutionally protected right while stressing that both violence by protesters and excessive use of force by law enforcement are unacceptable.
The Court indicated that it may consider framing uniform national guidelines for handling public demonstrations and allegations of police excess.
Opposition Raises Issue in Parliament
The reported use of pellet guns also triggered political debate in Parliament, where Opposition leaders demanded accountability from Union Home Minister Amit Shah over allegations of excessive police force during the student protests.
Meanwhile, CRPF Director General G.P. Singh said the force would conduct its standard post-operation assessment before commenting further on the incident.
Pellet guns are classified under the Rapid Action Force’s crowd-control equipment as a non-lethal option, alongside tear gas, smoke grenades and rubber bullets.
