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Who is Sonia Sehrawat? RAF officer at centre of CJP protest controversy
Sonia Sehrawat was among the RAF officers deployed at the site during the CJP protest march when forces cracked down on the protesters.
Sonia Sehrawat, an assistant commandant with the Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF) Rapid Action Force (RAF), has emerged as one of the most talked-about faces of the ongoing Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protests after she was injured during clashes at Delhi's Jantar Mantar and later found herself at the centre of a social media controversy.
The officer was deployed during the CJP's 'Sansad Chalo' march on July 20, an event that is now being heard by the courts for alleged unprovoked police brutality. Just a day later, a purported Instagram Story shared from her account went viral, drawing criticism from the CJP and opposition leaders.
Who is Sonia Sehrawat?
Sonia Sehrawat is an Assistant Commandant in the CRPF and serves with the Rapid Action Force (RAF), the specialised anti-riot and crowd-control wing of the paramilitary force.
Apart from her policing career, Sehrawat has built a sizeable social media presence. Her Instagram account has over 6.2 lakh followers, where she posts dance videos, fitness content, trending reels, personal updates and occasional glimpses of life in uniform.
In an interview on the Win Life Like a Warrior podcast, Sehrawat said she grew up in Haryana, where traditional social norms often restricted opportunities for girls. She said those experiences motivated her to pursue a career in uniform despite facing discouragement.
How did Sonia Sehrawat join the CRPF?
Sehrawat has said that joining the National Cadet Corps (NCC) became the turning point in her journey towards the armed forces.
The exposure to discipline, leadership and military training strengthened her resolve, she says, following which she cleared the Union Public Service Commission's Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandant) examination and joined the CRPF.
Speaking to aspiring candidates in the same interview, Sehrawat advised them to remain disciplined, physically fit and consistent while preparing for the UPSC CAPF examination.
Training and career
During the podcast, Sonia Sehrawat recalled suffering a serious injury during training that required 52 stitches. She said she recovered fully and completed the programme, describing the incident as one of the defining moments of her career.
She has also spoken about serving in operational areas, including Jammu and Kashmir, where she said the experience strengthened her leadership skills and ability to perform under pressure.
What happened during the CJP protest?
Police lathi-charged and fired tear gas during the CJP's protest march at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Monday, which allegedly led to an altercation between forces and the protesters.
Sehrawat was among the RAF officers deployed at the site and sustained injuries during the confrontation. Delhi Police later said more than 118 police personnel were injured in the violence and registered multiple FIRs. The investigation is ongoing.
Speaking to HT, Sonia Sehrawat denied allegations that RAF personnel under her command assaulted women protesters and said the force's priority was to protect them.
"It was not done by my jawans, neither intentionally nor unintentionally. They are manned and trained to save women," Sehrawat said.
According to Sehrawat, repeated appeals were made to protesters to maintain distance before the situation spiralled.
She alleged that when the crowd surged, several women fell in what she described as a stampede-like situation and insisted they were not assaulted by RAF personnel.
Also read: Why RAF officer Sonia Sehrawat, her Instagram story are at the centre of CJP protest
Sehrawat also claimed she was injured while trying to rescue women protesters.
"When I fell to the ground, stones and shoes were being thrown at me. They even took off my helmet," she said.
She further alleged that one RAF jawan was dragged into the crowd and said security personnel had to act in self-defence after coming under attack.
Exchange with CJP founder
During the protest, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke publicly questioned Sehrawat over allegations of excessive force by security personnel.
Addressing her directly from a vehicle, Dipke asked whether she supported "brutality against women".
Despite criticising the police action, Dipke also praised Sehrawat for listening to him calmly, saying no other police officer had heard him out in the same manner during the protests.
Sehrawat declined to respond to Dipke's personal remarks about her being a woman and a mother, saying those comments were personal.
Instagram Story sparks controversy
Two days after the protest, screenshots of a purported Instagram Story from Sehrawat's account went viral on social media.
The story showed the image of a dead cockroach with the caption, "Can't fix themselves and they wanna fix the country." Reports said the post was later deleted. Hindustan Times could not independently verify the authenticity of the Story.
The Cockroach Janata Party accused Sehrawat of mocking protesters and responded on X: "We are cockroaches. And cockroaches never die."
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra also shared the screenshot on X and criticised the alleged post.
