Supreme Court Orders Delhi Government to Provide Medical Care for Protest Injuries

The Supreme Court instructed the Delhi government on Thursday to ensure that individuals injured by the alleged use of pellet guns during student protests in the national capital receive appropriate medical treatment. A bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohan issued this directive, emphasizing that the Delhi government must provide care for the injured petitioners and others in similar situations. The court was hearing a petition regarding the alleged use of metal pellet guns against students protesting at Jantar Mantar and other locations in Delhi.

Justice Joymalya Bagchi remarked that if the law permits police to use firearms in severe situations where crowd control methods like batons or tear gas fail, the court must consider how to impose a complete ban on pellet gun usage, especially when peaceful protests are hijacked by rioters and turn violent. He noted that police regulations allow for their use under specific circumstances unless those regulations are challenged. The use of pellet guns is one of the methods available to respond to such situations. The Chief Justice further stated that given the numerous allegations of excessive use, the court should establish a protocol for their deployment.

Justice Bagchi also emphasized the need for authorities to train police forces to avoid resorting to such extreme measures. He advised Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that while peaceful resolutions are preferred during student protests, allowing genuine demonstrations to be hijacked for personal gain cannot be tolerated. He urged the police to be prepared in a manner that prevents the necessity for such actions. The Solicitor General responded that police personnel have been equipped with protective gear. Advocate Vrinda Grover, representing the petitioners, stated that the projectiles used were metal pellets extracted from the bodies of injured protesters. She argued that the use of such ammunition was entirely excessive, as the crowd was not violent.