Who Is Sonia Sehrawat? RAF Officer Injured During CJP Protest Now At Centre Of Instagram Row

Last Updated:July 23, 2026, 13:45 IST

A day after the demonstration, a purported Instagram Story shared from Sehrawat's account went viral, drawing criticism from the CJP and Opposition leaders.

CRPF Assistant Commandant Sonia Sehrawat has emerged as one of the most discussed faces of the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) protests after she was injured during clashes at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and later became embroiled in a social media controversy over a purported Instagram Story.

Sehrawat, an officer with the Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) Rapid Action Force (RAF), was deployed during the CJP’s ‘Sansad Chalo’ march on July 20. The protest is now under judicial scrutiny over allegations of unprovoked police brutality. A day after the demonstration, a purported Instagram Story shared from Sehrawat’s account went viral, drawing criticism from the CJP and Opposition leaders.

Who Is Sonia Sehrawat?

Sonia Sehrawat serves as an Assistant Commandant in the CRPF’s Rapid Action Force, the paramilitary’s specialised anti-riot and crowd-control unit.

Outside her professional role, Sehrawat has built a strong presence on social media. She has more than 6.2 lakh followers on Instagram, where she shares dance videos, fitness content, trending reels, personal updates and glimpses of her life in uniform.

In an interview on the Win Life Like a Warrior podcast, Sehrawat said she was raised in Haryana, where traditional social norms often limited opportunities for girls. She said those experiences inspired her to pursue a career in uniform despite facing discouragement.

How Did Sonia Join CRPF?

Sehrawat has said that joining the National Cadet Corps (NCC) marked a turning point in her journey towards the armed forces.

She said the discipline, leadership and military training she received through the NCC strengthened her determination, after which she cleared the Union Public Service Commission’s Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandant) examination and joined the CRPF.

During the same interview, she advised UPSC CAPF aspirants to remain disciplined, physically fit and consistent in their preparation.

Speaking on the podcast, 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, saying the experience enhanced her leadership abilities and strengthened her capacity to work under pressure.

Instagram Story

Two days after the protest, screenshots of a purported Instagram Story from Sehrawat’s account began circulating on social media.

The Story featured an 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 the 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.

CJP Protest

Police used lathi-charge and tear gas to disperse CJP protesters during the march at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Monday, leading to clashes between security personnel and demonstrators.

Sehrawat was among the RAF officers deployed at the protest and sustained injuries during the confrontation. Delhi Police later said more than 118 police personnel were injured in the violence and that multiple FIRs had been registered. The investigation is ongoing.

During the protest, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke confronted Sehrawat over allegations of excessive force by security personnel.

Speaking to her from a vehicle, Dipke asked whether she supported “brutality against women".

Although he criticised 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 protest.

Sehrawat declined to respond to Dipke’s personal remarks about her being a woman and a mother, saying those comments were personal.

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