Rapid Action Force (RAF) Assistant Commandant Sonia Sehrawat has come under intense public scrutiny after an Instagram story related to the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led student protests went viral on social media. The officer, who has a substantial social media following, found herself at the centre of an online debate after expressing her views while deployed for riot-control duties in the national capital. Sehrawat, an Assistant Commandant in the RAF, a specialised wing of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) tasked with riot and crowd control, has more than six lakh followers on Instagram.

Her popularity on the platform had already made her a well-known social media personality before the recent controversy brought her into the national spotlight. The controversy stems from an Instagram story she posted during the ongoing protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak and examination irregularities. The post was later deleted, but screenshots circulated widely across social media platforms. The protests intensified after thousands of students and supporters marched towards Parliament on Monday.

Demonstrations escalated following clashes between protesters and police, with authorities using tear gas and baton charges to disperse crowds near key locations in Delhi during the opening days of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Sehrawat was part of the RAF deployment assigned to maintain law and order during the protests. Her social media activity while serving in an operational role sparked widespread discussion online, with users expressing differing views on whether uniformed officers should publicly comment on politically sensitive issues.

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While some social media users criticised the officer's post, arguing that members of disciplined forces should maintain political neutrality, others defended her, saying she was entitled to personal opinions outside her official duties. The incident quickly became a trending topic, drawing attention to the use of social media by public servants. Neither the Central Reserve Police Force nor the Rapid Action Force has issued an official statement regarding the viral post or whether any administrative action has been initiated. It also remains unclear whether the deleted Instagram story violated any service conduct rules governing the online activities of security personnel.

The episode has reignited discussions about the responsibilities of government officials and uniformed personnel on social media, particularly during periods of political tension and public unrest. Public servants are generally expected to exercise caution while commenting on issues that could be perceived as politically sensitive. As the CJP-led protests continue to dominate the national discourse, the focus has now extended beyond the demonstrations themselves to include the role of social media in shaping public narratives. Sehrawat's viral post has become one of the latest flashpoints in the broader debate over institutional neutrality, digital expression and accountability in the age of social media.

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