India, Aug. 5 -- The recent controversy surrounding the alleged use of pellet guns during the CJP-led agitation at Delhi's Jantar Mantar has once again ignited a nationwide debate on police use of force. Allegations and counter-allegations have dominated television debates, social media and political discourse, yet the larger issue remains poorly understood: the legal framework governing the use of force by the police.

Public opinion is often shaped more by emotions than by law. As someone who has spent decades in policing and public order management, I believe it is important to explain what the law actually says, what powers have been conferred upon the police, what safeguards exist against misuse, and why, in exceptional circumstances...