The Rapid Action Force (RAF) withdrew pellet guns from deployment within days of the July 20 student protests in Delhi after allegations emerged that the crowd-control weapons had been used against demonstrators, officials familiar with an internal inquiry said on Monday.
According to officials, at least 12 RAF personnel were issued pump-action pellet guns on the morning of July 20 as part of security arrangements for the large-scale protest. However, the weapons were no longer issued from July 23 onwards following mounting criticism and allegations of injuries caused by pellets.
The RAF, a specialised wing of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), is authorised to use pellet guns under its crowd-control guidelines. Even so, their reported use against students has sparked sharp political and public criticism.
Several protesters have claimed they sustained pellet injuries during the July 20 demonstrations. Among them are Sheikh Irshad Mansuri, a private-sector employee; Nootan Toppo from Gurugram; journalist Prashant Singh; Bihar resident Prashant Singh; and, according to his family, 19-year-old police aspirant Sahil Lochab.
Officials said the ongoing internal inquiry has also recorded the statement of a CRPF inspector who was leading an RAF contingent deployed near Connaught Place's Outer Circle on the day of the protest. The officer reportedly maintained that he never authorised the firing of pellet guns.
Investigators are examining whether more than one officer discharged the weapons during the operation. Officials said personnel attached to the concerned RAF unit have been identified and the post-operation assessment is expected to specify which officers were issued the pump-action guns and the number of pellet cartridges allotted to each.
The inquiry is also looking into possible departures from the standard operating procedure, including allegations that some personnel fired above the prescribed target area below the waist.
One official said pellet guns were not issued during protest deployments on July 23, 24 or 25 and indicated that the weapons are unlikely to be used in future student demonstrations unless security forces are confronted by an armed crowd.
The RAF unit under scrutiny had been stationed between 1 pm and 5 pm near the Grand Charkha installation above Pallika Bazar on the route leading from Connaught Place to Jantar Mantar.
According to officials familiar with the inquiry, members of the unit told investigators that they escalated force after Delhi Police personnel allegedly came under stone-pelting. They also cited concerns that protesters were attempting to march towards Parliament while the House was in session.
The inquiry report prepared by RAF Inspector General Seema Dhundia has not yet been submitted to CRPF headquarters. Officials said Dhundia recently held separate review meetings with senior RAF officers and the CRPF leadership to examine the events surrounding the protest.
The review reportedly identified several procedural lapses. Among them were personnel failing to wear visible name tags, prompting instructions that all RAF and CRPF members display identification on their uniforms. Officials also flagged instances of personnel speaking to the media or posting on social media during deployment, describing such conduct as a violation of service rules.
The reported use of pellet guns has triggered a wider debate over crowd-control practices. Although classified as a non-lethal option alongside tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke grenades, pellet guns have historically been associated with operations in Jammu and Kashmir. Officials noted that this was the first known instance of their deployment during a protest in Delhi. During the 2021 farmers' agitation, security forces had relied on plastic bullets instead.
Following the withdrawal of the protests on Saturday, CRPF Director General G.P. Singh said the force would conduct a standard post-operation review before arriving at any conclusions regarding the conduct of personnel deployed during the demonstrations.