NEW DELHI — Official documentation has revealed that the Delhi Police formally sanctioned the use of crowd-control pellet guns against peaceful demonstrators during recent protests at Jantar Mantar on July 20. The revelation surfaced through a General Diary (GD) entry registered by the Rapid Action Force (RAF) at the Parliament Street police station in the early hours of July 22. The entry directly links high-ranking law enforcement channels to the approval of aggressive force, sparking intense national debate regarding state accountability and constitutional rights to assembly.

The official paper trail was created shortly after investigative reports detailed severe injuries among civilian gathering participants, suggesting a delayed attempt to establish a legal defense for the heavy-handed tactics. Prior to the document's discovery, local authorities had consistently maintained that security personnel exercised maximum restraint. However, the RAF diary entries confirm that field officers were cleared to deploy pump-action shotguns firing rubber and metal pellets, a measure traditionally reserved for extreme civil unrest. The severe nature of the resulting injuries prompted widespread condemnation from legal experts and medical professionals.

In the immediate aftermath of the media exposure, security leadership initiated a swift tactical retreat to mitigate escalating public anger. Internal operational directives confirm that the RAF ordered field personnel deployed around Parliament Street and Jantar Mantar to immediately surrender an array of aggressive gear. Among the items withdrawn from the frontlines were pump-action guns, specialized anti-riot guns, electrified shields, and high-voltage shock batons. While command staff claimed the disarmament was aimed at de-escalating tensions, human rights organizations framed the rapid tactical rollback as a tacit admission of excessive force.

The fallout has drawn sharp criticism from parliamentary opposition leaders, who are now demanding a transparent judicial inquiry into the chain of command that authorized lethal and sub-lethal weapons against civilians. As civil liberties groups prepare to challenge the action in the High Court, the Delhi Police force finds itself under unprecedented scrutiny over its crowd management protocols. For now, a fragile calm hangs over Jantar Mantar, where heavily guarded barricades remain, albeit manned by personnel stripped of their most lethal riot control equipment.