'I'll Take Responsibility': CRPF Chief Backs Personnel Amid Outrage Over Pellet Gun Use Against Students
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CRPF chief backs personnel amid criticism over pellet gun use, as RAF review identifies lapses in handling the July 20 protest.
By Pranjal Gupta
New Delhi, July 30: As national security forces are under severe criticism for using pellet guns on unarmed students protesting on July 20, the chief of the CRPF has encouraged its personnel to work "fearlessly" and promised to back such decisions in the future if the action be taken in the bona fide. The incident was widely condemned across the nation, with Parliament being disrupted over the issue this week.
The remarks were reportedly made by CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh on Monday at the force's investiture ceremony. He said, "As the Director-General of the CRPF, I want to assure each one of you that whether it is an operational battalion or a law-and-order unit, whatever decisions you take and whatever actions you carry out in the bona fide discharge of your duties, I take responsibility for all those decisions and actions. Continue to perform your duties fearlessly. Wherever responsibility or accountability needs to be taken, I will take it as the Director-General."
The CRPF's Rapid Action Force (RAF) has come under scrutiny over its handling of the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) July 20 march to Parliament against paper leaks. The protest took place at Jantar Mantar and other parts of central Delhi. The RAF is a specialised unit of the CRPF that was created in 1992 to deal with riots and maintain public order during large gatherings and disturbances.
Parliament Disrupted
As assured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a bill introducing strict punishment was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister Jitendra Singh. The bill was passed on Wednesday. Before that, the proceedings were disrupted after Opposition leaders demanded that Amit Shah be present and address the pellet gun row, as the forces come under his jurisdiction.
Earlier this month, RAF Inspector General Seema Dhundhia is learnt to have told personnel that the "force gradient" used during the Parliament march did not follow the force's standard operating procedures or its training. A force gradient refers to the different levels of force police can use depending on the level of threat or resistance they face. The remarks came after an internal review found serious operational lapses during the protest, in which three people suffered pellet gun injuries.
According to sources, Dhundhia said officers failed to conduct proper and timely briefings before personnel were deployed around Jantar Mantar and Parliament. She reportedly stressed that briefing teams before deployment is essential because it helps personnel understand the situation, their responsibilities, and the level of force that may be required.
Sources also said the RAF chief instructed officers not to assign personnel who had recently returned from special operations areas, such as Jammu and Kashmir, directly to crowd-control duties in Delhi. She reportedly explained that personnel serving in conflict or counter-insurgency areas work in a very different operational environment. Their training and experience are designed for high-risk security situations, whereas crowd management in places such as Delhi, Bihar, Assam, and Maharashtra requires a more restrained, balanced, and people-focused approach.
"She emphasised that personnel transferred from special operations zones such as Jammu and Kashmir, or other operational areas, have a different operational perspective. However, crowd-control duties in states such as Delhi, Bihar, Assam, and Maharashtra require a distinct and balanced approach to maintaining public order," a source said.
According to the sources, Dhundhia reminded officers that force should only be used when absolutely necessary and only to the extent required to control the situation. She directed personnel to act in a fair, balanced, and sensitive manner. Before using force, officers should issue clear warnings to the crowd and follow a graded response. This includes using methods such as a lathi charge, tear smoke, or other approved crowd-control measures only when the situation demands them.
Senior officers said the RAF's work had been appreciated at the sector level. However, an internal assessment also found several serious shortcomings in the planning and execution of the deployment. The review concluded that these weaknesses needed immediate correction to ensure future crowd-control operations follow established procedures and minimise the risk of unnecessary injuries.
