E IPS officer, two victims move SC for decommissioning of pellet guns, seek compensation for injured
A petition has been filed in Supreme Court by a former IPS officer and two persons, who claimed to have been injured by pellet guns
A petition has been filed in Supreme Court by a former IPS officer and two persons, who claimed to have been injured by pellet guns fired during the recent Cockroach Janta Party-led Parliament march to protest in the national capital against NEET paper leak, news agency PTI reported. The petition filed by Yashovardhan Azad, Prashant Kumar and Sheikh Irshad Mansoori through advocate Vrinda Grover, sought direction for "decommissioning or banning the use of wholly or partly metallic kinetic projectiles or pellets, fired from pump action rifles or Projectile Action Guns (PAG) for dispersal of civilian assemblies by law enforcement agencies". Quick answers to key questions • 5 QUESTIONS 1 What is the purpose of the petition filed in the Supreme Court regarding pellet guns? ⌵ The petition seeks the decommissioning or banning of pellet guns used by law enforcement to disperse civilian assemblies, following claims of injuries sustained by the petitioners during protests. 2 Why do the petitioners argue that pellet guns should be banned? ⌵ The petitioners argue that pellet guns are an unreasonable and dangerous tool for crowd control due to their unpredictable trajectory, making them unsuitable for dispersing peaceful assemblies. 3 How did the injuries from pellet guns occur during the protests on July 20, 2026? ⌵ Injuries occurred when Rapid Action Force personnel fired pellets at protesters who were fleeing the scene, even though there was no provocation from the protesters.
4 What compensation are the petitioners seeking for victims of pellet injuries? ⌵ The petitioners are seeking exemplary compensation for all victims of pellet injuries caused by state action during the protests, along with assurance for their medical treatment and rehabilitation. 5 Should the use of pellet guns in crowd control be legally permitted? ⌵ The petitioners contend that the deployment of pellet guns for crowd control should not be legally permitted, as it contradicts the principles of reasonable and proportional response outlined by the Constitution. Yashovardhan Jha Azad is a retired IPS officer who served as Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau, Secretary (Security), Government of India, and also as Central Information Commissioner. Azad served for nearly four decades in the Indian Police Service. Kumar 25, an artist, said he was present at the Sansad Chalo march on July 20 as a peaceful protester and claimed that he received pellet injuries from firing by Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel without provocation or aggression from his end. Pellet injuries from RAF Mansoori, 26, said he was at Delhi's Connaught Place after attending to passport and visa-related work and had received pellet injuries from RAF firing despite there being no provocation or aggression from his end. “On July 20, 2026, during the 'Sansad Chalo' march organised by the Cockroach Janata Party as part of a protest regarding rampant paper leaks wreaking the credibility of higher education in India, the Delhi Police used the assistance of the CRPF's Rapid Action Force for crowd management," the plea said as per news agency PTI.
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