Pellet Gun Allegations Shake India’s Capital Protest

Sun Sep 06 2026 04:14:29 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Experts confirm pellet gun wounds on protester bodies, adding new controversy to Delhi’s July 20 violence.

Independent forensic experts have identified pellet‑gun injuries on several protester bodies at Delhi’s July 20 march‑on‑the‑parliament protest. The government has denied use of pellet guns, while the opposition claims the truncheon‑carrying police fired such weapons. Medical scans show dozens of birdshot pellets lodged in injured protesters, a first in India’s capital. The incident raises questions about crowd‑control tactics and puts pressure on the central government to clarify its stance.

Independent ballistic experts have confirmed pellets fired from gunshot weapons on protester bodies during Delhi’s July 20 protest.

Warning: The images below depict shots that may be unsettling.

In the capital, thousands of protesters sought education reforms and the resignation of the education minister. Police and paramilitary forces used wooden sticks, batons and tear gas to quell the crowd, reportedly injuring 60 protesters and 118 officers, though opposition claims the number is higher.

After the event, the government did not officially confirm reports of pellet guns. However, the BBC has received evidence from at least four cases where injured protesters were treated for wounds consistent with birdshot pellet gunfire.

Pellet guns are 12‑gauge shotguns that discharge 200‑400 small metal pellets. Those pellets spread wide, striking indiscriminately. They are banned in many countries for crowd‑control use.

Two injured men were shown photographs and videos to ballistics experts Philip Boyce and NR Jenzen‑Jones, who identified the punctures as birdshot wounds. Boyce described the injuries as “definitely from a pellet gun” and noted the pellets were at least 50 feet from the source. Jenzen‑Jones discussed the history of pellet guns in India’s law‑enforcement arsenals and urged caution due to lead toxicity.

One victim, a 28‑year‑old journalist named Mohit, was hit near his right arm. X‑ray images from Safdarjung Hospital show 26 pellet wounds on his elbow and four on his upper back, with detailed diagrams of the embedded objects.

Shaikh Irshad Mansoori, a Gurugram employee, reported more than 40 pellets were found in his body, including three lodged deep in his neck and left eye muscle. Surgeries removed seven pellets, leaving one at risk. He remains in pain a fortnight later.

In Delhi’s media, the government dismissed claims of pellet guns, stating they did not employ such weapons. The opposition invoked reports that the Rapid Action Force (RAF) used pellet guns, and the BBC has reached out to CRPF chief Gyanendra Pratap Singh for comment.

Meanwhile, Indian minister Jitendra Singh stated in parliament that only tear gas was used and no bullets fired, though he did not address pellet gun allegations.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and student protester Sahil Lochab, whose right eye was swollen from suspected pellet impact, continued to demand accountability and an overhaul of crowd‑control policies.

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