RAF bans electric shock weapons, riot guns during Delhi protests
The Rapid Action Force (RAF) has banned electric shock weapons and certain riot guns during Delhi protests, following a review of the July 20 Jantar Mantar protest.
The review, led by Inspector General Seema Dhundia, found that force was used excessively and safety gear was not up to the mark.
RAF requires body cameras, protective gear
Now, RAF teams must wear full protective gear (think helmets with locked visors) and record all operations with body cameras for transparency.
Only properly trained personnel should handle crowd-control duties, though if manpower shortages make deployment unavoidable, untrained personnel must receive detailed operational briefings and sensitisation.
Commanders are also expected to brief and debrief their teams thoroughly.
The goal: keep both protesters and police safer, while making sure force is only ever a last resort.