Pellets fired on students in New Delhi, 19-year-old student may lose vision in right eye
New Delhi:: Several students were injured by pellets fired by Indian Rapid Action Force (RAF) on students in Indian Capital, New Delhi.
According to Kashmir Media Service, reports have now confirmed a fourth person who was at the youths’ protests in New Delhi on July 20 and is being treated for pellet-like injuries.
A 19-year-old student, Sahil Lochab, was operated at the All India institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on July 21, and is likely to lose his vision in right eye, The Hindu reported. Doctors have told his family that there is only “1% chance” of vision returning to his right eye.
Sahil Lochab lives in southwest Delhi’s Najafgarh and is a student of Delhi University’s School of Open Learning. “He had attended the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests before and went again on Monday (July 20), saying it was important and would help his studies… He always wanted to become a police officer. He is pursuing a distance-learning course while preparing for competitive examinations,” his mother Jyoti told The Hindu.
“Sahil said he was hit directly in his eye. From what we have been told, a second operation for his pupils will determine whether his vision will return to normal,” Sahil’s childhood friend Parvesh told The Hindu.
Sahil had been taken to the Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) in central Delhi before being shifted to AIIMS. Doctors have reportedly told Sahil Lochab’s family that there is only “1% chance” of vision returning to his right eye.
Jyoti, mother of the victim student expressed anger and disbelief at the possible use of pellet guns against students. “How can they do this to young children who only want to build their career. It’s the responsibility of the government to see who fired the pellet gun,” she told The Hindu Business Line.
The Wire has reported in detail about another patient, Shaikh Irshad Mansoori, currently lodged in LHMC, who also underwent a surgery to remove pellet-like objects from his body. The Wire has been able to confirm where Irshad was injured – over the underground Palika Bazaar in Connaught Place – and also found a video of a Rapid Action Force (RAF) soldier firing what appears to be a pellet gun at the same location and at the same time, on his abdomen. Another video being shared on social media also shows a second person with pellet-like injuries at the same site on July 20.
Experts have confirmed to The Wire that the guns being seen in videos and images of RAF personnel from July 20 are 12-bore pump-action rifles, colloquially called pellet guns. “Instead of a single bullet, its ammunition typically consists of many small pellets that spread out and cover a wide range when fired and discharged from the barrel,” a professional shooter told The Wire.
On July 22, Outlook magazine reported that one of its own reporters was fired upon by a weapon that matches the description of a gun that can fire pellets. The injuries also match what would occur after being hit by pellets.
“Medical records prepared after the incident documented multiple puncture wounds on his arm. Photographs reviewed by Outlook show several small injuries resembling pellet-like wounds,” the report said. It has shared photographs of the injuries and a medical report. This incident too occurred near Palika Bazaar – where Irshad and the second victim were injured. The journalist narrowly escaped being hit in the chest and face, but secured severe injuries on his arm, the publication reports. He happened to turn away from the firing soldier just as the shot was released.
The pellet guns are reportedly used by Rapid Action Force (RAF) – which comes under the Central Reserve Police Force under command of Amit Shah and has been deployed in large numbers during the ongoing protests.
