The Rapid Action Force (RAF) has barred the use of pellet guns until further orders, with highly placed sources saying the directive was issued during a review of the force’s handling of the NEET paper leak protests led by the satirical platform Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar in the National Capital.Following criticism over the alleged use of excessive force against unarmed students during the agitation, particularly the use of pellet guns, the RAF’s top brass has directed that pellet guns, riot guns, electric shock devices and electric shields will not be used until further orders.Consequently, during the review of the force’s conduct during the agitation, especially on July 20, when a major crackdown on demonstrating students left hundreds with serious to grievous injuries due to use of pellet guns, reportedly from close range in many instances, it was directed that these weapons and devices would not be issued to RAF personnel until further orders.Reports of paramilitary personnel allegedly using excessive force against the protesters were also discussed during the review meeting, sources said.It was also decided in the review meeting that all future RAF action in law-and-order situations would be carried out in accordance with NATO protocol.According to experts, the use of pellet guns is prohibited under various international conventions and agreements. Despite this, they were allegedly used during the student protests in Delhi.The RAF is the special unit of the CRPF deployed for maintaining law and order, and was stationed during the students’ demonstration against the alleged NEET paper leak at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.Meanwhile, 16 additional companies of the CRPF and the RAF are being airlifted to Delhi from different parts of the country and are expected to arrive at Hindon Air Base soon, sources said.Of these, 10 companies belong to the CRPF, while the remaining six are RAF companies, they said.The fresh deployment is in addition to the 45 companies of the CRPF and RAF already stationed in the National Capital.According to sources, the reinforcement has been necessitated by the ongoing Parliament session, intelligence inputs about similar protests being planned in Delhi and the NCR, and the possibility of farmers’ groups extending support to the student agitation.