The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) declined to share information on its ammunition log, issue records, and details related to the Rapid Action Force (RAF)’s use of pellet guns and the deployment of the anti-riot force during the protests against examination irregularities on July 20, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Saket Gokhale said on Monday.
In his application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, Gokhale cited the RAF’s use of plastic and metallic pellets that injured students, including one who could lose vision in his right eye. He termed it a human rights violation and sought details and records of the ammunition used during the protests. The Delhi Police and the CRPF have not formally commented on the use of pellet guns even though some records surfaced showing they were used. The panel will look into issues such as pellet gun use following allegations of excessive and disproportionate force when the student protesters marched to Parliament from the Jantar Mantar protest site. “CRPF claims use of pellet guns on protestors in Delhi is not a human rights violation. I’d filed an RTI with Rapid Action Force (which is a part of CRPF) asking for information related to the use of pellet guns on unarmed protestors on 20th July during the Jantar Mantar protests. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took the victim to a police station and refused to leave until a first information report (FIR) was filed.
Because the issue relates to a human rights violation, gokhale said the CRPF must provide the information. Delhi Police filed a case regarding the student, who might lose vision in one eye due to the pellets. The Supreme Court constituted a five-member committee for an independent probe into allegations of violence during the July 20 student protests. He said the victim had around 200 pellet wounds on his body, including three that struck his eye.
He said Central Armed Police Forces are bound to share information under the RTI. Under law, CRPF is exempt from RTI Act EXCEPT in cases related to corruption or human rights violations,” he said on X.
Because security organisations are exempt from disclosure under Section 24(1) of the RTI Act, 2005, except regarding allegations of corruption or human rights violations, gokhale shared a copy of the CRPF’s July 30 reply, saying the information could not be shared. “On the basis of available information, the allegations made in the application do not attract the exception relating to violation of human rights under the proviso to section 24(1) of the RTI Act, 2005. Hence, this office is not liable to disclose any information in this regard to you under RTI Act, 2005,” the CRPF reply said. “This request is not barred by section 24. the information sought here pertains to allegations of human rights violations — the firing of pellet ammunition upon a peaceful civilian assembly on 20 July 2026, causing grievous injury, including injuries to the eyes with a risk of permanent blindness.” Although the CRPF is a notified organisation under the Second Schedule.
In his appeal, Gokhale said the information related to pellet use on students and a human rights violation.
