India
oi-Madhuri Adnal
A medical report related to a protester injured during the July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ march has raised fresh questions over the alleged use of pellet-like ammunition at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, despite repeated denials by the Centre and Delhi Police.
The report pertains to 25-year-old Sheikh Irshad Mansoori, one of the petitioners who has moved the Supreme Court alleging excessive force during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest. According to a Hindustan Times report, doctors at Lady Hardinge Medical College surgically removed ‘metallic foreign bodies’ from his face and neck after he was brought to the hospital with multiple injuries.
A medical report indicates metallic fragments were removed from protester Sheikh Irshad Mansoori following the July 20 Sansad Chalo march, supporting claims of pellet ammunition use at Jantar Mantar despite Centre and Delhi Police denials.
According to the medico-legal case (MLC), the metallic fragments recovered during surgery have been retained for forensic examination. Though the document does not attribute the injuries to any particular weapon or personnel, protesters argue that the medical findings are consistent with their claims of pellet-like ammunition being used at the protest site.
Describing the moments leading up to the incident, Mansoori told Hindustan Times that he noticed a security personnel aiming a weapon at him. “I turned to run, and then something hit my face,” he said. Following surgery, he was discharged from the hospital, but says the injuries have left permanent marks on his face.
Mansoori’s case is not the only one. Similar medical records submitted by other injured protesters have reportedly documented “pellet injury marks” or metallic fragments.
Violence broke out after protesters attempted to march towards Parliament, prompting a large-scale deployment of Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force personnel. Both protesters and members of the security forces suffered injuries during the clashes.
The government, however, has maintained that no pellet guns were used. Replying in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the Centre said security personnel did not fire any shots at protesters and relied only on standard crowd-control measures, including tear gas.
