Amnesty International accuses Indian police of excessive force during youth protests

Amnesty International has accused Indian police of using excessive force against youth-led demonstrations in Delhi and Bihar. The protests, triggered by a leak of the national medical entrance test (NET-UG), resulted in the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Amnesty reported that verified witness testimony and visual evidence showed the use of pellet-firing shotguns, tear gas launchers, grenades, batons, and electric shock devices. The rights group characterized the response as “state-sanctioned violence masked as crowd control,” noting two instances in Bihar’s Siwan district where lethal force was allegedly used, though no fatalities were reported.

Delhi Police maintained that force was only utilized after protesters turned violent and caused injuries to security forces. In response to the unrest, the Supreme Court of India has established a panel to investigate violence committed by both demonstrators and police.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has expressed support for the protesters, recently staging a sit-in at a Delhi police station with an injured student. Following a formal complaint, authorities have registered a case regarding the incident.