No action is likely to be taken against the security personnel who used pellet guns during the recent protest near Jantar Mantar, as they reportedly followed the prescribed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), sources said.
According to sources, the pellet guns were fired on the orders of a Delhi Police officer of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) rank after repeated attempts to disperse the protesting crowd failed.
Before resorting to pellet guns, security personnel reportedly issued warnings through announcements and attempted to control the crowd using lathi-charge and tear gas shells. However, the protesters allegedly refused to disperse and tried to move towards Parliament, following which pellet guns were used.
Pellet Guns Used After Other Crowd-Control Measures
Sources said the use of pellet guns came only after other crowd-control measures had been attempted. The crowd was first warned through public announcements and asked to disperse.
When the protesters allegedly continued moving towards Parliament, security personnel resorted to lathi-charge and tear gas shells in an attempt to break up the gathering.
According to the sources, these measures failed to disperse the crowd, leading to the use of pellet guns on the orders of a DCP-rank officer.
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70 Shells Also Fired During Protest
Besides pellet guns, security personnel also fired 55 non-electric shells and 15 electric shells during the operation, sources said.
These weapons fall under the category of non-lethal weapons and are issued to personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) for riot-control duties.
The use of the different crowd-control measures reportedly formed part of the sequence of actions taken by security personnel to disperse the protesters after they allegedly attempted to proceed towards Parliament.
Personnel Said To Have Followed SOP
Sources said the personnel who fired the pellet guns are unlikely to face action because they followed the prescribed SOP and used the weapon after other measures had allegedly failed.
The firing took place after warnings, lathi-charge and tear gas were reportedly used to control the crowd. The final decision to deploy pellet guns was allegedly taken on the orders of a DCP-rank Delhi Police officer.
The development comes amid scrutiny over the use of pellet guns during protests in the national capital, particularly over whether the weapon was deployed in accordance with the prescribed procedures governing riot control.
Author : Neeraj Rajput