New Delhi: At least one Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel has been identified by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for
allegedly firing pellet rounds during the July 20 Parliament march against the NEET-UG 2026 exam paper leak.
The ongoing probe by the CRPF has revealed that the RAF personnel fired a total of seven rounds from a Pump Action Gun (PAG) during the protest, NDTV has quoted an insider as saying.
Five of these struck protesters while two hit the ground. The firing reportedly took place in the Connaught Place area, where clashes broke out between security personnel and demonstrators during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) ‘Sansad Chalo’ March.
The CRPF has, however, not declared the personnel guilty of using excessive force. Its internal investigation team is examining the circumstances under which pellet guns were used, whether the action was in line with established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and the exact sequence of events that led to the firing.
The probe report is expected to be submitted within a week, sources said, following which appropriate action will be taken if any lapses are found.
CRPF director general Gyanendra Pratap Singh had announced earlier in the day that the force would carry out a “professional post-event assessment” after the protest concluded, describing it as a routine exercise conducted after every major deployment.
“Now, since the agitation has been called off and the assembled people have dispersed, we would make a professional post-event assessment, as we do after every major assignment, and then let you know the view of the force headquarters,” Singh told ANI.
The assessment will comprehensively review the RAF’s response, including whether the alleged use of pellet guns complied with prescribed protocols and what circumstances led to the decision, officials said. A detailed report will be prepared and submitted to the CRPF headquarters upon completion of the review.
More than 47 RAF personnel deployed in the Connaught Place area were injured during the Parliament march, with several sustaining serious injuries, ANI has quoted sources as saying.
The Delhi Police and the RAF, used tear gas shells, batons and other crowd-control measures as protesters attempted to march towards Parliament.
The demonstration turned violent after the security agencies attempted to stop the protesters from marching towards Parliament.
The Delhi Police maintained that it’s personnel were not armed with PAGs, but several protesters claimed they had suffered pellet injuries.
Safdarjung Hospital later confirmed pellet injuries in at least one injured protester, while reports indicated that at least four people were hit. The issue subsequently triggered a political storm, with Opposition parties raising the matter both inside Parliament and outside.
The RAF held a high-level review meeting, chaired by Inspector General Seema Dhundhiya, after the controversy broke. Fresh directions were issued banning the use and distribution of PAGs, Anti-Riot Guns (ARGs), Electric Shock Weapons and Electric Shields in Delhi until further orders.
Dissatisfaction was reportedly expressed during the meeting over the manner in which force was used during the Jantar Mantar and Parliament march, stating that the response did not fully conform to prescribed operational procedures.
