Amnesty: India police used excessive force during protests

Indian police engaged in excessive force during youth-led protests, according to Amnesty International. The organization's report alleges the use of electric shock devices, pellet guns, tear gas launchers, grenades, batons, and other weapons against protesters in New Delhi and Bihar. These claims contradict the police's statement that force was only used in response to violent protesters.

The Supreme Court has established a panel to investigate the violence perpetrated by both police and demonstrators. Witness testimony and verified visual evidence by Amnesty International corroborate the allegations of excessive force. Two instances of police officers unlawfully using lethal force against a crowd in Bihar's Siwan district were also verified.

No deaths were reported. Amnesty International asserts that the deployment of these weapons violated international law, domestic policing guidelines, and standards. There were isolated instances of protesters throwing stones, but the group maintains that the police's heavy-handed response constituted state-sanctioned violence disguised as crowd control.

The Delhi Police argued that they only resorted to force after protesters turned violent, claiming that anti-social elements masquerading as aggrieved students caused grievous injuries to security forces. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi staged a sit-in outside a Delhi police station, accompanied by a 19-year-old protester who alleged being injured by pellets during the July 20 demonstration.

Gandhi called for a police investigation into the shooting, leading to the registration of a case. The protests, initiated by the leak of the national medical entrance test, evolved into a broader movement concerning unemployment, opportunities for young people, and what critics perceive as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's growing authoritarianism. The protests marked the most significant challenge Modi has faced since his re-election in 2024.