A general diary entry accessed by The Hindu shows that the RAF pellet gun Delhi protest incident on July 20 took place on the orders of a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP)-rank officer, contradicting earlier denials by Delhi Police that pellet guns were used during the march to Parliament. The entry, registered at 1.24 a.m. at Parliament Street police station, was filed by the Rapid Action Force (RAF) itself.
According to the document, the RAF Deputy Commandant fired two rounds using ballistic cartridges with plastic pellets from an anti-riot gun “on the orders of the DCP,” as part of efforts to control the crowd during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest. The same entry records that the RAF also fired 55 rounds of non-electrical shell, 15 rounds of electrical shell and five tear smoke shells during the operation.
At least four people were hit by pellets during the July 20 march to Parliament, according to The Hindu’s reporting. The newspaper had earlier reported on July 21 that two of those hit by pellets allegedly fired by RAF personnel were operated on at government hospitals.
The Hindu reported that this was the first time a pellet gun has been used in the national capital against unarmed protesters, a detail that distinguishes the July 20 incident from previous crowd-control operations in Delhi. Pellet guns have more commonly been associated with security operations in other parts of the country, rather than policing of protests in the capital.
Delhi Police had denied, in the days following the march, that pellet guns were used against the protesters. The general diary entry now accessed by The Hindu directly contradicts that denial, showing that RAF personnel discharged pellet rounds under instructions from a senior police officer during the operation.
Separately, an inquiry by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has found that an RAF personnel fired at least seven rounds from a pellet gun during the march, five of which hit protesters, according to a report by The Wire, which cited The Indian Express. The CRPF had opened its inquiry on July 24 to determine whether pellet guns were used, after security forces had reportedly been instructed to avoid using them during the ongoing protests at Jantar Mantar.
Three individuals were reported to have suffered serious injuries in the march, according to the same report: 25-year-old Irshad Sheikh, 19-year-old Delhi University student Sahil Lochab, and a 28-year-old journalist working with Outlook magazine. Sources cited by The Indian Express said the rounds were fired after protesters allegedly attacked security personnel and threw stones, with five rounds striking protesters and two hitting the ground.
RAF Inspector General Seema Dhundhia held a meeting on July 22 to review the role, deployment and conduct of RAF personnel during the protest, The Wire reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. It remains unclear whether this review has concluded or what findings, if any, have been made public.
The general diary entry does not specify the identity of the DCP who issued the order, nor does it detail the circumstances that preceded the decision to deploy pellet rounds. The Hindu’s report does not indicate whether Delhi Police has issued any further comment following the emergence of the document, or whether any inquiry into the use of force has been ordered.
The incident adds to continuing scrutiny of policing tactics used against protesters gathering near Parliament in recent weeks. Separately, Delhi Police detentions during demonstrations near Parliament have drawn attention in other cases, including the detention of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, underscoring the wider pattern of law enforcement activity around protests in the capital during this period.
The Hindu’s reporting on the RAF pellet gun Delhi protest is based on the general diary entry it says it accessed directly, along with its earlier coverage of the hospitalisation of two people hit by pellets. No additional independent confirmation of the DCP’s identity or the full sequence of events has been reported at this stage. Further official statements from Delhi Police, if issued, would be needed to clarify the circumstances under which the anti-riot gun was deployed.
I am Rukaiya Kadiwala, an experienced News Content Writer with 6+ years of expertise in hospitality, travel, hotel, restaurant, business, and lifestyle news. Skilled in writing, research, fact-checking, headline creation, and digital publishing, I create accurate, engaging, and high-quality content that informs and attracts readers worldwide.
