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Inquiry reveals RAF personnel issued pellet guns for Delhi protests
28 Jul 2026

An internal inquiry has revealed that at least a dozen personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) were issued pellet guns on July 20 to control student protesters in Delhi, Hindustan Times reported.

The controversial weapons were, however, withdrawn from use on July 23 after allegations of their misuse against agitators surfaced.

Five individuals have alleged they were hit with pellets: Sheikh Irshad Mansuri, Nootan Toppo, Prashant Singh, Sahil Lochab and an unnamed reporter.

Personnel identified, orders not given
Inquiry details

The RAF is a specialized unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) that deals with riots and public disturbances.

An internal inquiry has confirmed that no orders were given by a CRPF inspector to fire pellet guns on July 20.

The personnel involved have been identified, and a post-assessment report will detail which officer was issued the pump action guns and how many cartridges were issued.

Deviations from standard operating protocol
Protocol deviations

The internal inquiry also revealed several deviations from standard operating protocol by CRPF personnel.

These included personnel not firing below the waist and giving interviews or posting on social media, which is against service rules.

The use of pellet guns, a non-lethal deterrent, has been controversial as this was the first time they were used in Delhi during student protests.

Incident sparks debate in Parliament
Official statement

After the protests ended, CRPF chief GP Singh said a professional post-event assessment would be done.

"Now, since agitation has been called off...we would make a professional post-event assessment," he said.

This incident has sparked a debate in Parliament and among police experts over the appropriateness of using pellet guns on student protesters.