Key facts
- Independent experts have concluded that injuries sustained by some protesters in Delhi were caused by pellet guns.
- Protesters were injured during a demonstration on July 20 seeking education reforms and the education minister's resignation.
- Ballistic experts identified the weapon as a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun firing birdshot.
- At least four individuals were treated for wounds consistent with pellet gun fire.
- Government minister Jitendra Singh stated in parliament that only tear gas, not bullets, was used.
- Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has demanded the Home Minister's sacking and highlighted the injuries of a student protester.
Independent ballistic experts have informed the BBC that injuries sustained by some protesters during a recent demonstration in Delhi were consistent with pellet gun fire. The incident occurred on July 20 when tens of thousands of protesters marched towards parliament, leading to clashes with police and paramilitary forces. While authorities stated that only tear gas and batons were used, experts who examined photographs and videos of injured individuals concluded that the wounds were caused by birdshot from shotguns.
Two independent armament and forensic experts, Philip Boyce and NR Jenzen-Jones, confirmed that the dozens of tiny round punctures are tell-tale signs of pellet gun injuries. Boyce described the weapon as a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, noting that such injuries can be devastating even from a distance. Jenzen-Jones added that Indian law enforcement agencies have a history of using birdshot cartridges for crowd control, sometimes referred to as 'pellet guns'.
Several injured protesters shared their experiences. Mohit, a 28-year-old journalist, described feeling a burning sensation and later discovering 26 pellet wounds on his arm and back. Shaikh Irshad Mansoori reported having over 40 pellets embedded in his body, including deep in his neck and near his eye, with some requiring surgical removal. A senior hospital official confirmed pellet-type injuries but deferred to forensics for definitive source identification.
Government minister Jitendra Singh stated in parliament that no bullets were fired, only tear gas. However, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi of the Congress Party has demanded the sacking of Home Minister Amit Shah, whose ministry oversees the Delhi police and CRPF. Gandhi held a press conference with Sahil Lochab, a 19-year-old student who sustained pellet injuries to his face and arm, raising concerns about potential vision loss.