The protests over the alleged NEET UG 2026 paper leak made headlines across the country, but they also brought one unexpected name into the spotlight. Sonia Sehrawat, an Assistant Commandant with the Rapid Action Force (RAF), suddenly became one of the most searched officers online after videos from Delhi’s Jantar Mantar protest started circulating on social media.
At first, people wanted to know who the injured RAF officer was. A few days later, the conversation changed completely when a screenshot of an alleged Instagram Story from her account began going viral. Since then, her name has remained part of the wider discussion around the CJP protest, social media and public service.
Who Is Sonia Sehrawat?
Sonia Sehrawat is an Assistant Commandant in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and is currently posted with the Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialised unit called in during riots, protests and other crowd-control situations.
Away from her official duties, she has also built a strong social media presence. Her Instagram account has attracted more than six lakh followers, where she regularly posts fitness videos, dance reels, lifestyle content and occasional glimpses of her life in uniform.
That combination of a government service career and a large online following had already made her popular before the recent controversy.
From Haryana to the CRPF
Sonia has previously shared that she grew up in Haryana, where she often felt girls were expected to follow traditional paths. Instead of accepting those limitations, she decided to prepare for a career in uniform.
She said in her interviews that joining the National Cadet Corps (NCC) was the turning point, as it exposed her to discipline, leadership and military training, strengthening her goal to join the armed forces.
She later cleared the UPSC CAPF (Assistant Commandant) Examination and joined the CRPF as a Group A officer.
Looking at her journey, it becomes clear that years of preparation came before the recognition people see today.
A Serious Injury During Training
Life in the force was not without setbacks.
During an earlier interview, Sonia revealed that she suffered a major injury while training and required 52 stitches. Rather than ending her journey, the incident became one of the biggest tests of her career.
She recovered, completed her training and continued serving in different operational assignments, including postings in Jammu and Kashmir.
It is one of those experiences that often explains why officers develop a different level of resilience before they are even deployed in the field.
Sonia Sehrawat, an Assistant Commandant pic.twitter.com/IUV6kq7NJl
— Anshu (@hindutva_anshu) July 23, 2026
What Happened During the CJP Protest?
On 20 July 2026, Sonia Sehrawat was among the RAF officers deployed at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar during the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest.
The demonstration later turned violent as clashes broke out between protesters and security personnel. Delhi Police said more than 100 police personnel were injured during the incident, while multiple FIRs were registered and investigations began.
Sonia was also injured while performing her duty.
After the protest, several television interviews featuring her began circulating online, bringing her into the public spotlight for the first time.
The Instagram Story That Sparked Fresh Debate
Just when attention around the protest had started settling, another controversy emerged.
Screenshots of an alleged Instagram Story from Sonia Sehrawat’s account began spreading across social media. The post reportedly showed the image of a dead cockroach along with the caption:
“Can’t fix themselves and they wanna fix the country.”
Although the Story was later deleted, screenshots continued circulating online.
Supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party criticised the post, claiming it mocked protesters. At the same time, many users defended her, arguing that people were reacting before knowing the full context.
Interestingly, the online debate soon became bigger than the original Instagram Story itself.
Insta story of RAF assistant commandant Sonia Sehrawat. pic.twitter.com/rRaiFGGRca
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) July 22, 2026
Questions Over Social Media Use
The controversy also raised another discussion that had little to do with the protest.
Many people questioned whether serving officers should publicly post opinions while being involved in sensitive law-and-order operations. Others argued that personal social media accounts should not automatically become part of public controversies.
Reports suggested that CRPF officials were looking into the matter, although no final public disciplinary decision had been announced at that time.
That debate continues even today, especially as more government officers maintain active public profiles online.
Why Sonia Sehrawat Is Trending
Sonia Sehrawat is trending for more than one reason.
Her injury during the CJP protest first brought attention to her role as an RAF officer. Soon after, the alleged Instagram Story created another wave of discussion across social media.
People also began searching for her educational background, UPSC journey, Instagram profile and previous interviews, making her one of the most searched uniformed officers in recent days.
Final Thoughts
Sonia Sehrawat’s name has become part of a much larger conversation than a single protest.
For some, she represents an officer injured while carrying out crowd-control duties. For others, the focus remains on the social media controversy that followed.
Whichever side of the debate people support, one thing is clear. A protest that began over education reforms unexpectedly placed an RAF officer at the centre of one of the biggest online discussions of the week.
