Amnesty accuses Delhi Police of using excessive force during protests
What's the story
Amnesty International has accused the Delhi Police of using excessive force during the July 20 protests over the NET-UG paper leak. The protests, led by youth and later turning violent, resulted in Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. The rights group said it verified witness testimony and visual evidence showing police used "pellet-firing shotguns, tear gas launchers, grenades, batons and electric shock devices against protesters" in Delhi and Bihar.
Force justification
Amnesty calls it 'state-sanctioned violence'
Amnesty disputed the police's claim that force was used only after protesters turned violent.
The organization called it "state-sanctioned violence masked as crowd control," citing two instances in Bihar's Siwan district where lethal force was allegedly used by the police.
However, no one was killed in these incidents.
The Supreme Court constituted a panel on August 20 to look into the violence by both police and demonstrators during these protests.
Political support
Rahul Gandhi shows support to protesters
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also lent his support to the protesters.
On Friday, August 21, he staged a sit-in outside a Delhi police station with a 19-year-old protester who claimed pellets injured him during the demonstration.
After the protester's complaint, authorities registered a case.
The protests were led by the Cockroach Janta Party and demanded the resignation of then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan along with broader educational reforms.