RAF chief directs personnel to follow crowd-control protocols after Jantar Mantar protest
The chief of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) has instructed personnel and field commanders to adhere to graded crowd-control measures following allegations of excessive force during the student protests at Jantar Mantar.
The use of pellet guns and other specialised weapons has been prohibited during the force’s deployment in the national capital.
Four individuals, including a reporter from Outlook Magazine, reportedly sustained pellet gun injuries. One 19-year-old victim may lose his eyesight.
According to officials, RAF Inspector General Seema Dhundhia chaired a virtual review meeting on Wednesday after videos circulated on social media allegedly showing RAF personnel knocking down protesters and assaulting individuals who had disengaged from the protest. Dhundhia told officers that the level of force used during the July 20 “Sansad Chalo” march did not conform to the RAF’s prescribed standards or its training protocols. She instructed all personnel to strictly adhere to the force’s “Use of Force” guidelines, emphasising that crowd-control measures must be proportionate to the situation and adopted in a graded manner.
An officer present at the meeting said the IG directed unit commanders to instruct field personnel that measures such as lathi-charge, tear gas, and other approved crowd-control techniques should be used progressively and only when justified by the situation. The review followed widespread ‘criticism of the security forces’ handling of Monday’s protest, when allegations were made regarding the use of pellet guns against demonstrators and the employment of disproportionate force during crowd dispersal.
Reportedly showing RAF personnel using force against people separated from the main crowd, deliberately pushing individuals to the ground and striking those moving past police barricades. “Such actions run contrary to the RAF’s established work culture and image and cannot be justified under any circumstances,” an official quoted the IG as saying during the meeting.
Dhundhia also instructed officers and personnel not to make statements to the media. Officials said the review identified shortcomings in communication. RAF sector headquarters reportedly did not receive complete information regarding the operational strength and deployment of each company during Monday’s protest, when 14 RAF companies were deployed in the capital.
The IG instructed that personnel recently transferred from conflict zones such as Jammu and Kashmir should not be assigned crowd-control duties in Delhi without adequate familiarisation and training.
Officials said Dhundhia observed that personnel from special operations areas work in different operational environments. Deployments in states such as Delhi, Bihar, Assam, and Maharashtra require a more balanced approach focused on crowd management and sensitive policing.
