RAF Fired Multiple Munitions During July 20 Protests, 2 Rounds of Non-Lethal Plastic Pellets

The Rapid Action Force (RAF) fired multiple rounds of non-lethal munitions, including two rounds of plastic pellets, while controlling the mob at one location near Jantar Mantar during the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march by protesters on the NEET paper leak issue, officials said on Tuesday citing official record of the police action.

The incident has been recorded on July 22 at 1:24 PM in the general diary entry of the Parliament Street police station on the information of a Deputy Commandant of RAF stating the blue dungaree donning force was on duty in the Zone 1 of the Jantar Mantar area along with a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) rank officer of the Delhi Police, the officials told PTI.

On the directions of the DCP, according to the officials quoting the police station record, RAF fired 55 non-electrical shells, 15 electrical shells, five tear smoke grenades, two rounds from the anti-riot guns and two rounds of plastic pellets on July 20.Officials said one round of the non-lethal plastic pellets contains four pieces and they are different from the metal pellets that pierce the body. The plastic pellets do not cause much harm, the officials said.

The use of force, especially pellets, against the protesters has become another major flashpoint with the Opposition targeting the government and demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament.

There have been two-three reports of protesters suffering grievous pellet injuries during this protest march called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) seeking resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union Education Minister over the NEET-UG question paper leak.

Pradhan resigned on Saturday and the month-long CJP protest was called off.

Multiple police, RAF and CRPF personnel were also injured during these protests.

The Delhi Police has said on record that the claims of use of pellets against "peaceful protesters" were completely "false and misleading".

The CRPF and the RAF have not commented on the subject till now.

"Now, since agitation has been called off, and assembled people have dispersed, we would make a professional post-event assessment, like we do after every major assignment, and then let you know the view of the Force Hq (headquarters)," CRPF Director General (DG) G P Singh has said.