Gujarat Police firing incidents rise; 18 shot in 15 months
The use of firearms by the Gujarat Police during operations against accused persons has increased in recent months, with police records showing 18 separate incidents of firing between May 2025 and July 2026.
According to official data, two accused persons were killed in encounters, while 16 others sustained injuries. In most of the cases, the suspects were reportedly shot in the legs after allegedly attempting to attack police personnel, escape custody or resist arrest. The latest incident took place in Anand district, where a four-year-old girl was allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted. After the accused was arrested, police took him to the location for crime-scene reconstruction. During the exercise, he allegedly attacked the police, following which officers opened fire and he was killed.
The growing number of such incidents, particularly those involving accused persons in rape and murder cases, has once again raised questions about the increasing use of firearms by the state police and the circumstances in which such force is being deployed.
The first incident in the period was reported in Rajkot on May 19, 2025, when police allegedly opened fire while dealing with people accused of attacking a police team during action against an alleged illegal animal sacrifice.
On August 17, an accused in a murder case in Valsad was shot after he allegedly attempted to attack police personnel with a knife while trying to evade arrest. On September 12, police fired at an accused in an extortion case in Ahmedabad after he allegedly tried to seize a police revolver. On September 24, an accused in a rape-and-murder case in Gandhinagar was killed after allegedly taking a service revolver from the police and opening fire.
Other firing incidents were reported in Navsari on November 6, Ahmedabad on December 8, Rajkot Rural on December 10, Surat on December 16, Gandhinagar on December 20, and Dahod and Surendranagar on December 30. The cases involved accused persons allegedly attacking police, attempting to flee, or creating violent situations during investigation and custody-related procedures.
In 2026, police firing incidents were reported in Aravalli on March 13, Devbhumi Dwarka on May 7, Surat Rural on May 8, Surat city on May 11, Ahmedabad on June 25 and Anand on July 20. The cases included alleged attacks on police during the transportation of an accused, recovery of weapons, arrest operations, attempts to escape and crime-scene reconstruction.
The figures have brought renewed attention to the circumstances under which police resort to firearms and the need for scrutiny of every such incident under the applicable legal and procedural safeguards.