On July 20, 2026, students in New Delhi gathered in peaceful protest as they marched toward the parliament building, driven by a demand for justice after medical entrance exam question papers were leaked nationwide in May. The demonstrations, which had been growing for weeks, culminated in a direct confrontation when Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) intervened with batons, pellet guns, and tear gas to disperse the crowd, leading to widespread violence and public outrage.
In the aftermath, disturbing video footage captured a chilling display of force. One clip shows a senior police officer striking a female student in the face, while another records a woman being stunned by a shock baton. Protesters also alleged that batons were deliberately modified with nails to inflict greater harm. At least four individuals, including a journalist, were reported with severe injuries from pellets. Despite the graphic footage, the Delhi Police dismissed the reports of pellet use as “false and misleading,” a response that many found hard to accept.
Adding to the controversy, several of those seen using force were not in uniform and wore no identification, raising serious concerns about who had authorized their actions. Investigative journalist Vijaita Singh, who obtained a general diary entry from the RAF at 1:24 a.m. on the same day, revealed a detailed account of the events. The entry noted that the RAF’s Deputy Commandant had fired 55 rounds of non-electrical shell, 15 rounds of electrical shell, five tear smoke granates, and two rounds of plastic pellets from an anti-riot gun. This information contradicted the official denials and suggested that lethal tactics had been used.
The government’s dismissal of the footage and its failure to explain the presence of plainclothes individuals only deepened the public’s unease. Were these individuals government-backed supporters, or were they police officers operating without accountability? The question of who gave the orders to use such force remained unanswered. The lack of clear identification and the brutal tactics raised alarms among protesters, journalists, and human rights observers.
Amid growing pressure, Rahul Gandhi, the Congress Party leader and head of the opposition in the lower house of parliament, sent a direct letter to Home Minister Amit Shah. In the letter, Gandhi demanded answers from the minister responsible for overseeing both Delhi Police and the RAF. He questioned whether Shah had approved the use of lethal force, including pellet guns, and asked who had authorized the plainclothes personnel to participate in the beating of students.
As the most powerful minister in the government after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah holds ultimate authority over the units involved in the violence. His failure to respond to the allegations has led many to interpret it as tacit approval. Rishav Sharma, a lawyer practicing at the Delhi High Court, emphasized that accountability must extend beyond the front-line officers. He argued that responsibility should follow the chain of command all the way up to those who create the conditions for such violence.
While the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had previously organized protests and hunger strikes to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Rahul Gandhi’s letter signals a strategic shift. Congress is now seeking to hold the higher-level officials accountable, aiming the spotlight directly at Amit Shah. The move underscores a broader political battle, where the line between protest and repression has become dangerously blurred, and where the pursuit of justice demands more than symbolic gestures.