📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Andy Li
National
Amnesty Report Says India Used Pellet Guns and Grenades on Gen Z Protests
✍️ Al Jazeera
🗓 25 Aug 2026, 06:05 AM
👁 3
Amnesty International’s latest report alleges that Indian security forces deployed pellet‑rounds and grenades against protests involving Generation‑Z participants, raising concerns over excessive force.
Amnesty International released a detailed assessment this week claiming that Indian law‑enforcement agencies resorted to pellet‑rounds and hand‑thrown grenades during recent demonstrations involving Generation‑Z activists. The report cites eyewitness accounts and video evidence that show security personnel firing non‑lethal ammunition into crowds, resulting in injuries among young protesters.
According to the findings, the use of such weapons was not limited to isolated incidents but appeared across multiple cities where the youth were demanding reforms on education, employment and climate policies. Amnesty argues that the deployment of pellet guns—typically used for crowd control in Kashmir—constitutes a disproportionate response when faced with largely peaceful assemblies.
The organization urges the Indian government to conduct an independent inquiry, suspend the use of lethal‑force crowd‑control tools, and ensure accountability for any violations of international human‑rights standards. Officials have not yet commented on the specific allegations, but the report is expected to intensify scrutiny of India’s protest‑policing tactics.
Human‑rights advocates warn that the continued reliance on such measures could erode public trust and exacerbate tensions between the state and a generation increasingly vocal about its future.
According to the findings, the use of such weapons was not limited to isolated incidents but appeared across multiple cities where the youth were demanding reforms on education, employment and climate policies. Amnesty argues that the deployment of pellet guns—typically used for crowd control in Kashmir—constitutes a disproportionate response when faced with largely peaceful assemblies.
The organization urges the Indian government to conduct an independent inquiry, suspend the use of lethal‑force crowd‑control tools, and ensure accountability for any violations of international human‑rights standards. Officials have not yet commented on the specific allegations, but the report is expected to intensify scrutiny of India’s protest‑policing tactics.
Human‑rights advocates warn that the continued reliance on such measures could erode public trust and exacerbate tensions between the state and a generation increasingly vocal about its future.