CJP protest: 3 treated for pellet injuries, CRPF probes chain of events, role of Rapid Action Force

Following the July 20 crackdown on protesters, at least three cases of pellet gun injuries have come to light — that of 25-year-old Irshad Sheikh who works in Gurgaon; 19-year-old Sahil Lochab, a Delhi University student; and a 28-year-old journalist with the Outlook magazine. All three have been to hospitals for treatment of pellet injuries.

Responding to a query from The Indian Express on the government’s direction to the CRPF to avoid the use of pellet guns while on duty at Jantar Mantar, the CRPF spokesperson said, “We are comprehensively enquiring into the whole gamut of events. It will be premature to comment now.”

Sources said that after the RAF and Delhi Police personnel cracked down on the protesters on July 20, no one in the CRPF was aware of any use of pellet guns. Pellet guns and shock batons are part of the RAF’s riot-control equipment.

On Tuesday afternoon, Delhi Police, responding to a CJP post, said, “Reports claiming that police forces are using pellet guns against peaceful protesters are completely false and misleading.”

Since then, at least three cases of pellet gun injuries have come to light.

Sahil Lochab, admitted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, has been told that he may lose vision in the right eye. He underwent surgery Tuesday.

A senior AIIMS official confirmed that Lochab had “pellet injuries” on the right side of his body. “The patient is currently stable and is on painkillers. As for the extent of his vision loss, he is still undergoing treatment, and it would be premature to draw any conclusions at this stage. He is being provided the best possible treatment,” the official said

Irshad Shaikh at Lady Hardinge Hospital

A student at Delhi University’s School of Open Learning, Lochab said he joined the July 20 protest because he was “frustrated” after the Delhi Police recruitment examination he had appeared for in 2024 was cancelled following a paper leak.

“I folded my hands as the security forces came running towards us. And then something hit the right side of my face and I fell down,” he said. The next thing he remembers was reaching Lady Hardinge Hospital where Irshad Sheikh, who also sustained pellet injuries, was also admitted.

“From there, I was taken to Safdarjung Hospital. Then I was transferred to the RP Centre at AIIMS. But due to the severity of my injury, I was sent back to the AIIMS Trauma Centre,” he said. His father Deepak works as a driver and the family lives in Najafgarh in southwest Delhi.

The third person with pellet injuries is a 28-year-old, a journalist with the Outlook. A medical report issued by Safdarjung Hospital on July 22 recorded that he had sustained injuries from “physical assault at Jantar Mantar by pellet gun”. It mentioned small, punched-out wounds across his right arm, chest and back, with doctors noting injuries “consistent with pellets”. Despite the injuries, he has resumed working from home.