Delhi Police Expired Tear Gas Shells: A viral post going around on social media, claims that Delhi Police used tear gas shells that were already expired while dispersing protesters during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) “Chalo Sansad” march in New Delhi on July 20. People started noticing the claim after some videos, supposedly showing tear gas canisters stamped with an expiry date began to spread across different platforms, and then youth demanded an explanation from authorities.
Delhi Police Expired Tear Gas Shells
A number of clips posted online show protesters holding objects they say are used tear gas shells fired during the event. In a few of these videos, participants seem to point at the markings on the canisters, saying those marks prove the shells had passed their expiry.
The footage then picked up speed, and users started asking whether outdated crowd control gear could create extra health or safety problems. A handful of accounts also suggested that using such shells means the police used excessive force during the protest. As of now, these are still just what protesters and social media users are saying with no independent verification behind them.
Even the tear gas shells used by the Delhi Police were past their expiry date. 🤦🏾♂️ pic.twitter.com/K7FnWgdbBX
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) July 20, 2026
Many users criticized the alleged use of expired equipment. One comment read, “Bataiye. Youth k sath yahan bhi cheating and fraud hua hai (Youth is being cheated even here). This is unsafe beyond measures now @PMOIndia.” Another user wrote, “So not only was this an attempt to disrupt our peaceful protest, but it was an attempt to kill people as well. shame on @DelhiPolice.”
Additional reactions included, “Delhi Police is expired goods, that is why they behaved like goons with the students. Delhi Police Shame on You.”
Delhi Police Has Not Confirmed The Allegation
Even though Delhi Police has defended how it handled the protest, stating officers tried to maintain law and order after demonstrators were allegedly violating prohibitory orders. It hasn’t released any official message that directly addresses the specific claim about expired tear gas shells being used. Police have also urged the public not to circulate rumours or unverified information and to rely on official sources.
The force has maintained that protesters became “unruly, aggressive and violent,” necessitating crowd-control measures including tear gas and baton charges. Protest organisers, meanwhile, have accused police of using excessive force against demonstrators.
Reuters reported that nearly 180 people were injured in clashes between protesters and police, while images of tear gas, barricades and confrontations dominated television and social media coverage throughout the day.
Why The Expiry Date Matters?
Tear gas canisters usually have manufacturing info and expiry markings on them. Generally experts say that, once crowd-control munitions are expired, they dont have to turn more toxic, yet their effectiveness and dependability might start getting weird over time. Figuring out if a given shell was already expired is hard, and it means looking at the original canister, the manufacturing specifications and the official inventory records.
View this post on Instagram
Right now, there hasnt been any independent forensic check, nor a government inquiry that can confirm the authenticity of those viral canisters, or verify whether they were actually fired by Delhi Police during the protest.
