Yashovardhan Azad Petitions Supreme Court to Ban Pellet Guns

Yashovardhan Azad, a retired IPS officer and former Intelligence Bureau Special Director, filed a petition with the Supreme Court of India seeking a total ban on the use of metallic kinetic projectiles, including pellet guns, for civilian crowd dispersal. The legal action follows a July 20 Sansad Chalo march in New Delhi, where thousands of students protested against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination paper leaks.

Azad and fellow petitioners, including victims Prashant Kumar and Sheikh Irshad Mansoori, allege that Rapid Action Force personnel fired pellets without provocation at peaceful protesters and bystanders. The petition specifically highlights incidents in the Inner Circle of Connaught Place and near Jantar Mantar, claiming that personnel fired at retreating demonstrators who appeared to be surrendering. The plea calls for a phase-out of these weapons, exemplary compensation for victims, and comprehensive medical rehabilitation, arguing that the erratic trajectory of pellets makes them inherently unsafe and disproportionate.

The Delhi Police and the Government of India defended the actions, asserting that security personnel acted necessarily to restore public order after protesters breached barricades and engaged in stone-pelting. While the government maintains the force was necessary, Opposition parties have accused the police of using excessive force against the demonstrators.