Amnesty International Reveals India Used Lethal Weapons on Protesters
FlatRigor 633 sources
The Story
An investigation by human rights group Amnesty International confirmed on Monday that Indian government forces used lethal weapons, including pellet-firing shotguns, grenades, batons, and electric shock devices, against demonstrators in Gen Z protests last month in New Delhi. Thousands of protesters had shut down Parliament Street on July 20, demanding the resignation of then-Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following examination paper leaks and irregularities. More than 100 students were injured in the crackdown, with hospital records showing pellet wounds in several cases. Sahil Lochab, who suffered pellet gun injuries, stated he has lost vision in one eye and cannot work. The Modi government repeatedly insisted security forces were measured and denied excessive force. Delhi Police stated they used force only after protesters resorted to violence. Amnesty's report, however, found tactics that Indian law enforcement rulebooks warn against, concluding the response was state-sanctioned violence masked as crowd control, despite isolated incidents of protesters throwing stones. India’s opposition, led by Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, called on Home Minister Amit Shah to answer questions about alleged police brutality. India’s Supreme Court established a five-member committee, headed by former judge R Subhash Reddy, to investigate violence by both police and demonstrators, prioritizing sexual assault allegations.
The Spread
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What they agree on
- Amnesty International's investigation confirmed that Indian government forces used lethal weapons against demonstrators in Gen Z protests in New Delhi last month.
- The weapons used included pellet-firing shotguns, grenades, batons, and electric shock devices.
- The protests on July 20 were triggered by examination paper leaks and irregularities, leading to demands for the education minister's resignation.
- More than 100 students were injured during the protests, with some suffering pellet wounds.
- India's Supreme Court has set up a committee to investigate violence by both police and demonstrators during the protests.
Where they split
- Al Jazeera (article 1) and Dawn (article 4) provide a broader overview of Amnesty International's findings, including the use of electric shock devices and instances of unlawful lethal force in Bihar.
- Hindustan Times (article 2) focuses on specific victim accounts of pellet gun injuries, including Sahil Lochab and Vikas, and quotes Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke questioning the government's denial of brutality.
- Hindustan Times (article 3) exclusively reports on the Supreme Court's clarification that separate suo motu proceedings for sexual assault allegations are not needed, as the issue is prioritized by an existing committee.
- Dawn (article 4) includes the detail that the protests forced the education minister to resign last month, a specific outcome not explicitly stated in other articles.
Source Perspectives
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Center2 sources