The controversy around Rapid Action Force (RAF) assistant commandant Sonia Sehrawat widened on Wednesday after an Instagram story from her account, linked to the Cockroach Janta Party protest in Delhi, went viral and triggered criticism from protest groups and opposition figures.

Sehrawat, who was deployed at Jantar Mantar during the July 20 march to Parliament seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, is now at the centre of a possible disciplinary review by the CRPF.

The protest, which ended in clashes with security personnel, left scores injured; Sehrawat was among those hurt in the face-off.

Also Read | ‘Aap dande baatiyein, hum pyaar he baatenge’: CJP protesters offer pizza to RAF at Jantar Mantar

The internet, alas, never forgets

The story from Sehrawat’s account showed a dead cockroach with the text “Can’t fix themselves, and they want to fix the country” and was shared with a laugh emoji before being deleted later.

The officer had around 6 lakh followers on Instagram, where she also posts pictures in uniform.

A chorus of criticism grows louder

The backlash was led in part by the CJP itself, which said on X that the RAF officer appeared to see protesters “as cockroaches” and added, “cockroaches never die.”

TMC MP Mahua Moitra shared the screenshot online and called for Sehrawat to be identified and held to account. Senior CRPF officers had made a preliminary assessment that Sehrawat may have violated the force’s social media guidelines and that her explanation is likely to be sought before any final decision is taken.

One officer quoted by ThePrint said political comments from a personal account, when the personnel are directly involved in duty, could amount to a disciplinary issue.

The rulebook returns to centre stage

The episode has also revived attention on the CRPF’s social media rules.

Guidelines issued in 2023 advise personnel against venting personal grievances, posting in anger or spite, and sharing sensitive information. The rules also discourage personal political comments and the use of uniform photos on social media.

For now, no final action has been announced, but the matter is under review as the deleted post continues to circulate across platforms and keeps Sehrawat at the centre of a growing public debate over conduct, protest policing and the limits of official speech online.

Also Read | CJP says Pradhan’s resignation is ‘non-negotiable’, protest to continue

FAQs

Q1: Who is Sonia Sehrawat?

Sonia Sehrawat is an assistant commandant with the Rapid Action Force, a specialised unit of the CRPF.

Q2: Why is Sonia Sehrawat facing scrutiny?

She is under scrutiny after a deleted Instagram story linked to the ‘CJP protest’ triggered criticism and a reported CRPF review.