New Delhi: RTI responses from two Delhi government hospitals show that at least 10 protesters were treated for “pellet, shots or projectile injuries” after the 20 July “Sansad Chalo” march near Parliament, contradicting earlier claims that pellet guns were not used.
The data, secured by TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale, comes from two Delhi government hospitals — Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) and Safdarjung Hospital — and was released about three weeks after police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel used lathis, tear gas and alleged pellet fire to stop students moving from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament.
LHMC: 9 Projectile-Injury Cases Among 81 Admitted
In its August 7 RTI reply, LHMC said it treated nine patients with “pellet, shots or projectile injuries”. The hospital also recorded 81 injured people brought in on 20 July — 46 protesters who “presented independently” and 35 police officers who were brought by the police, as reported by The Print.
Breaking down the injuries, LHMC noted 14 cases of head and facial trauma, five fractures, 36 lacerations and contusions, one patient with ocular, respiratory and dermal injuries, and nine with “pellet, shot or projectile injuries”.
The news magazine emailed the LHMC director for comment but received no response.
Safdarjung Records One Pellet Injury Case
Safdarjung Hospital’s RTI reply, dated August 7, logged just one pellet-injury case from the 20 July protests. The hospital informed the news magazine that the patient was a 28-year-old man who arrived on the evening of 21 July with “alleged pellet injuries as informed by the patient himself”.
“Upon arrival, he was promptly attended to by the concerned medical team and underwent appropriate clinical evaluation. Necessary medical treatment was provided in accordance with established protocols,” the spokesperson said.
“The patient was found to be in a stable condition and was discharged on the same day. He was advised to report to the Surgery Outpatient Department (OPD) the following day for review and further follow-up as required,” the hospital added.
Moreover, the RTI response noted that between “12 a.m and 11:59 pm on 20 July” the hospital received 25 police personnel and four protesters with injuries “stated or recorded as having been sustained at or in the vicinity of Jantar Mantar”.
Before the RTI disclosures, at least five projectile-injury cases had been reported: Sheikh Irshad Mansoori from Gurugram, who suffered pellet wounds to his face, left eye, neck, shoulder, chin and chest and was treated at LHMC.
Sahil Lohchab of Najafgarh, Delhi, who allegedly sustained a corneal perforation in his right eye with a high risk of permanent vision loss and was treated at AIIMS.
Prashant Singh, an Ambedkar University student, who reportedly suffered pellet injuries to his right arm, chest and “inguinal region” and was treated at LHMC.
An Outlook journalist who sustained at least 30 pellet injuries on his upper body and was treated at Safdarjung Hospital.
This besides, a Gurugram resident who reportedly suffered a “gunshot injury” to her right ear at the protest site and was later treated at Ram Manohar Lohiya Hospital.
Police Denial Vs RAF’s Pellet Arsenal
Delhi Police had earlier denied using pellet guns during the 20 July march, saying the crowd-control weapon is not part of its armoury; pellet guns, however, are part of the RAF’s kit.
Pellet guns were introduced around 2010 in Jammu and Kashmir for crowd control. The Supreme Court in 2016 directed that security forces must “apply their minds” before firing them, and the Centre later told the court their use should be a “last resort”.
