India police used excessive force on protesters: Amnesty International

Amnesty International has accused Indian police of employing excessive force, including electric shock devices and pellet guns, against youth-led protests that ultimately led to the education minister's resignation last month. The human rights group's report directly challenges the police's narrative that force was only used after protesters turned violent.

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pellet-firing shotguns, tear gas launchers, grenades, batons and electric shock devices against protesters

The Supreme Court has since established a panel to investigate the violence, which erupted on July 20 when thousands of protesters attempted to march on parliament. This demonstration was sparked by leaks in the national medical entrance test. Amnesty International stated that verified witness testimony and visual evidence confirmed the use of "pellet-firing shotguns, tear gas launchers, grenades, batons and electric shock devices against protesters" in Delhi and Bihar.

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The weapons were deployed in a manner that breached international law and standards and domestic policing guidelines

The report also detailed "isolated incidents of protesters throwing stones," but characterized the police response as "state-sanctioned violence masked as crowd control." Delhi Police, however, told the Supreme Court that force was only used after "anti-social elements masquerading as aggrieved students" injured security forces. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has supported a protester's claim of being injured by pellets, demanding a police investigation.

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heavy-handed response was state-sanctioned violence masked as crowd control

Initially focused on exam irregularities, the protests, led by the Cockroach Janta Party, have evolved into a broader movement criticizing unemployment and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's increasingly authoritarian rule. These demonstrations represent the most significant challenge Modi has faced since winning a third term in 2024.

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resorted to violence