CRPF Chief Gyanendra Pratap Singh has made a big announcement amid the uproar over RAF using pellet guns during the paper leak protest in Delhi. Defending the soldiers, he said that he himself will take responsibility for their every action. Why did this message have to be given?
New Delhi: When students’ anger erupted on the streets of the national capital Delhi over the exam paper leak issue, no one had any idea that this protest would turn into a major national security controversy. When the ‘Rapid Action Force’ (RAF), the anti-riot wing of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which came to control the protesters, fired pellet guns at the crowd, there was an outcry all around. After this action, there were serious allegations of using excessive force on the security forces, and sharp criticism started from media to political circles. Amidst this huge pressure and controversy, now CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh (GP Singh) himself has come forward and given a statement which has created a stir in the entire security department. He has given a clear message to his soldiers that they should do their work without any fear, the top leadership will be accountable for their every action.
Was the pellet gun controversy the biggest reason for this statement?
Recently during the demonstration in the capital, the RAF used pellet guns to control the crowd. After this, there were allegations of excessive use of force and debate broke out from social media to political circles. Amidst this controversy, DG Gyanendra Pratap Singh, while addressing the soldiers at the felicitation ceremony, said that whether it is an operational battalion or a law and order handling unit, he himself will take responsibility for the decisions taken while on duty. His message was clear – the soldiers should act without fear while remaining within the ambit of the law.
‘It is my responsibility, you work fearlessly’
In his address, DG Singh said that every CRPF soldier should perform his duty with full confidence. He assured that if there is a need to fix accountability after any operation, he himself will be the first to come forward. He said that sometimes the situations are very challenging for the security forces, where decisions have to be taken in a few seconds. At such a time, the morale of the soldiers should not be weak.
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‘Professional post-event assessment’: Were the rules ignored?
Although the Chief has given armor to the soldiers, he has also talked about a fair investigation. Talking to news agency ANI, the DG made it clear that a ‘Professional Post-Event Assessment’ i.e. a professional review of this entire incident will be done after the incident. This review is an essential part of the CRPF’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). In this high-level investigation, the actual circumstances will be closely analyzed in which the soldiers had to take drastic measures like using pellet guns. Investigating agencies will find out whether the crowd had actually become so violent that pellets had to be fired in self-defence, or whether laid down rules were violated.
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Why is the role of RAF considered the most sensitive?
Rapid Action Force is a special unit of CRPF which is given special training in riot control, crowd management and handling sensitive law and order situations. RAF is the first to be deployed during major protests, communal tension and violent situations in the country. In such operations, soldiers often have to take difficult decisions in a very short period of time, where even a small mistake can lead to a major controversy.
From Manipur to Bastar: Forces fighting without margin of error
CRPF is the most reliable internal security force of India, which is often deployed in such places where there is only a few seconds to take decisions and there is no margin for error. This force is fighting the extremists in the North-East and the Maoists in the forests of Central India. Its special wing ‘CoBRA’ (Commando Battalions for Resolute Action) has broken the back of militants in jungle warfare.
Manipur operation also became a topic of discussion
As glorious as the history of this force is, its operations have been surrounded by controversies. An encounter that took place near the Assam border in Manipur’s Jiribam district in November 2024 is still shrouded in mystery and controversy, where the CRPF killed 10 suspected Kuki rebels who had attacked a village. At the time, the Kuki community claimed that those killed were merely “village volunteers”, while the police described them as insurgents armed with sophisticated weapons. This new pellet gun controversy in Delhi has once again proved how difficult and suspenseful it is for the soldiers to strike a balance between maintaining law and order and protecting human rights in the path of internal security.
CRPF is performing important responsibilities across the country.
CRPF is the largest central armed police force in the country. It along with the state police carries out election duties, riot control, VIP security, anti-Naxal operations and operations in terrorism affected areas. Be it combating militancy in the North-Eastern states or operations in Maoist areas, CRPF has been continuously at the forefront. Its CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) unit is considered expert in jungle and guerrilla warfare operations.
Now everyone’s eyes are on the review report
DG Gyanendra Pratap Singh’s statement is believed to boost the morale of the soldiers, but at the same time it has also been made clear that there will be an impartial review of the pellet gun controversy. This report will now determine whether the RAF’s actions were fully in line with the rules laid down or whether future crowd control strategies will need to be changed. In such a situation, in the coming days, the findings of this review may prove to be important for the functioning of security forces and operations related to law and order.
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