Sahil Lochab says a pellet gun injury during a CJP Parliament march in Delhi on 20 July has left him unable to see despite two surgeries. He says two pellets remain in his eye, doctors have given him one month to await improvement and the chances of his vision returning are very low.

Lochab was preparing for the Delhi Police recruitment examination and working part-time as a driver to help support his family. He said he joined the student protest against alleged irregularities in examinations, including the NEET paper leak, because he wanted to contribute to the demonstration.

What Sahil says happened

Lochab said the protest began at Jantar Mantar, where a lathi-charge started before the crowd moved towards the Connaught Place circle. He said tear-gas shells were fired there and that he was holding the Indian flag when a pellet gun was fired at him. He recalled becoming numb after being hit.

His condition led to treatment at several hospitals. He said he was first taken to Lady Hardinge Hospital, where he remained for 6 to 7 hours, and was then moved to Safdarjung Hospital. From there, he was sent to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, first to its eye centre and later to the trauma centre.

Lochab said he remained unconscious for 4 to 5 days. He has undergone two eye surgeries but still cannot see. He also said nerves in his right hand remain compressed and that two pellets are still lodged in his eye.

Family’s attempts to register an FIR

Lochab said his mother and a lawyer went to a police station on 14 August to seek registration of an FIR, but the complaint was not registered. The family also sent a complaint by post and emailed Delhi Police, but said it received no FIR acknowledgement.

He said the family visited the police station two to three times and also approached the Crime Branch. According to Lochab, no senior officer was willing to speak with them and they received no response.

He said Rahul Gandhi’s team contacted his mother about 5 days after the incident to ask for a health update. The family then explained that the FIR had not been registered. Lochab said they were called to meet Gandhi and reached him on the morning of 21 August. He said they first went with Gandhi to the Connaught Place police station and described the meeting as fortunate.

The article material states that an FIR was registered after Gandhi sat in protest outside the Parliament Marg police station for about 6 hours on 21 August.

Family and medical impact

Lochab said there are three brothers in the family and that his father, Deepak, is disabled. Before the injury, he combined his studies with work to help meet household expenses. He said managing the family’s needs has now become difficult.

His mother, Jyoti, said Sahil left home at about 10 am on 20 July. When he did not answer his phone by 3 pm, she became anxious. The family later received a call from Lady Hardinge Hospital saying that Sahil had been injured and went there.

Jyoti said the family had seen reports on television but did not initially know that a pellet gun had been used. They learned that detail after reaching the hospital.

Other injured protesters

The material also identifies several other people who suffered injuries during the demonstration:

  • Sheikh Irshad Mansoori, 25, sustained pellet injuries to his face and neck. Pellets were removed during surgery at Lady Hardinge Hospital, and he was discharged on 24 July.
  • Prashant Kumar Singh, 25, was injured in the right hand, chest and near the thigh. He was treated at Lady Hardinge Hospital, and a later X-ray reportedly found at least 10 particles remaining in his body.
  • Nutan Toppo suffered a serious injury to the right ear, with part of the ear nearly severed. Surgery at RML Hospital repaired the ear, after which she returned to her city.
  • Sakshi, 21, suffered serious injuries during the protest and was admitted to the intensive care unit at RML Hospital. She remained on a ventilator for about a week, was taken off it on 22 July and discharged on 30 July. The material identifies her case as serious protest-related injuries rather than a pellet injury.

Rules described for crowd control

The material refers to BNSS Section 148(1), under which an executive magistrate or authorised police officer may order a gathering of 5 or more people to disperse when it poses a threat to public peace. If the crowd does not leave after the order, force may be used under BNSS Section 148(2) to remove it.

Guidance attributed to the Bureau of Police Research and Development says the force used should correspond to the size of the crowd and that a lathi-charge should stop once the crowd disperses. It also says blows to the head should not be delivered.

The material says tear gas may be used according to the circumstances, while wind direction, wind speed and other weather conditions should be considered.