3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 23, 2026 10:52 PM IST
Sonia Sehrawat, a Rapid Action Force officer who has made headlines for sharing a social media post linked to the Cockroach Janta Party protest in Delhi, may be asked to submit an explanation, The Indian Express has learnt.
Sehrawat is an Assistant Commandant with the Rapid Action Force of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). She was deployed at Jantar Mantar during the July 20 march to Parliament to demand Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. The protest saw clashes between demonstrators and security personnel and left scores injured. Sehrawat was among the security personnel injured in the face-off.
According to senior officers of the CRPF, a preliminary assessment has indicated that Sehrawat may have violated the force’s social media guidelines. They said no final call has been taken and the officer’s response will be sought before any decision is made. “The matter is being examined, and her explanation is likely to be sought,” an officer aware of the development said.
Sehrawat came into the spotlight after an Instagram story shared by her account went viral. The story showed a dead cockroach, and the text read, “Can’t fix themselves and they wanna fix the country.” Sehrawat shared the story with a laugh emoji. The Instagram story drew criticism from those associated with the Cockroach Janta Party and some opposition figures. It was later deleted. OfficersFea said Sehrawat suffered a fracture and a shoulder injury during the violence and is under treatment. She has not rejoined duty after July 20.
CRPF may seek explanation from officer Sonia Sehrawat over viral ‘dead cockroach’ Instagram story. (Photo: X/ @3star_sonia)
Sehrawat has a massive social media following. Her Instagram handle is called “3star_sonia” and has 6.3 lakh followers. The officer also posts pictures in uniform.
CRPF’s social media guidelines
In 2023, the CRPF issued social media guidelines for its personnel. At the time, the force was led by Director General S L Thaosen. Among the key guidelines are not venting personal grievances, not writing or posting anything out of anger, spite, or under the influence of alcohol, not sharing classified information, and not revealing exact postings and the nature of work if posted in a sensitive department.
