RAF used pellet guns on protesters during Parliament march, probe on: Sources
According to sources, an RAF personnel fired pellet rounds, some of which hit the ground and injured protesters. There were reports of firing in the Connaught Place area during the July 20 Parliament march.
The CRPF has begun a detailed review of reports that RAF personnel fired pellet rounds during the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march from Delhi's Jantar Mantar, after some protesters were injured by pellets that hit the ground, with sources further indicating that pellets were used.
The review and the latest development come amid categorical denials by the police and government that pellet guns were used during the protest, even as victims have since come forward with accounts of pellet injuries. The CRPF is preparing a detailed report on the incident, with the official CRPF/RAF investigation report expected after the review.
According to CRPF sources, more than 47 RAF personnel were also injured in the Connaught Place area, some of them seriously. The Delhi Police and RAF had used crowd-control measures, including tear gas and lathi-charges, during the protest.
The CRPF is now conducting an internal professional review of the RAF's actions after the agitation. Such post-event assessments are part of the force's Standard Operating Procedure following every major operation and will examine all aspects of the RAF's actions and the overall operation.
At least four cases of pellet-gun injuries among protesters at Delhi's Jantar Mantar have been reported so far. India Today Digital spoke to one such victim, whose medical records showed that he sustained pellet injuries during the CJP's 'Sansad Chalo' march on July 20.
On Friday, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi addressed the media alongside one such victim, Sahil Lohchab, whose injuries were visible across his body and face.
“The government has been denying that pellets were fired. But here is the proof,” Rahul Gandhi said as he lifted Sahil’s T-shirt to show what he described as pellet injury marks across his upper torso.
“The government must stop lying. They have fired guns at the future of India,” Rahul said.
Rahul further pointed out that a pellet had struck and severely damaged one of Sahil's eyes, adding that he had been holding the national flag and marching peacefully when the incident occurred.
On the other hand, the 25-year-old victim told India Today Digital that he was lucky not to lose his eyesight after turning around to flee when he saw a police personnel aiming a gun at him.
“Then, amid the ruckus at the protest site, I suddenly saw a policeman aiming a gun at me, so I tried to run. That’s when I was hit on my back and around my right elbow. If I hadn’t seen him aiming at me and run, I think I would have been hit in the face,” he said.
At first, he did not feel any pain and only felt something hit him. Moments later, however, the victim told India Today Digital that the sensation felt like hot metal piercing his flesh, as though his back was on fire.
"Then I saw the wound. The blood was dripping," the victim told India Today Digital.
"I was also surprised because I thought, was the police officer's aim really that accurate? A lot of other people around me were also hit. But there was so much chaos that it took me 10-15 minutes to understand what had happened," he added.
Pellet guns are used as a last resort to control unruly crowds after all other non-lethal or less-lethal measures, such as warnings, persuasion, tear gas and water cannons, have been exhausted.
The CRPF has begun a detailed review of reports that RAF personnel fired pellet rounds during the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march from Delhi's Jantar Mantar, after some protesters were injured by pellets that hit the ground, with sources further indicating that pellets were used.
The review and the latest development come amid categorical denials by the police and government that pellet guns were used during the protest, even as victims have since come forward with accounts of pellet injuries. The CRPF is preparing a detailed report on the incident, with the official CRPF/RAF investigation report expected after the review.
According to CRPF sources, more than 47 RAF personnel were also injured in the Connaught Place area, some of them seriously. The Delhi Police and RAF had used crowd-control measures, including tear gas and lathi-charges, during the protest.
The CRPF is now conducting an internal professional review of the RAF's actions after the agitation. Such post-event assessments are part of the force's Standard Operating Procedure following every major operation and will examine all aspects of the RAF's actions and the overall operation.
At least four cases of pellet-gun injuries among protesters at Delhi's Jantar Mantar have been reported so far. India Today Digital spoke to one such victim, whose medical records showed that he sustained pellet injuries during the CJP's 'Sansad Chalo' march on July 20.
On Friday, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi addressed the media alongside one such victim, Sahil Lohchab, whose injuries were visible across his body and face.
“The government has been denying that pellets were fired. But here is the proof,” Rahul Gandhi said as he lifted Sahil’s T-shirt to show what he described as pellet injury marks across his upper torso.
“The government must stop lying. They have fired guns at the future of India,” Rahul said.
Rahul further pointed out that a pellet had struck and severely damaged one of Sahil's eyes, adding that he had been holding the national flag and marching peacefully when the incident occurred.
On the other hand, the 25-year-old victim told India Today Digital that he was lucky not to lose his eyesight after turning around to flee when he saw a police personnel aiming a gun at him.
“Then, amid the ruckus at the protest site, I suddenly saw a policeman aiming a gun at me, so I tried to run. That’s when I was hit on my back and around my right elbow. If I hadn’t seen him aiming at me and run, I think I would have been hit in the face,” he said.
At first, he did not feel any pain and only felt something hit him. Moments later, however, the victim told India Today Digital that the sensation felt like hot metal piercing his flesh, as though his back was on fire.
"Then I saw the wound. The blood was dripping," the victim told India Today Digital.
"I was also surprised because I thought, was the police officer's aim really that accurate? A lot of other people around me were also hit. But there was so much chaos that it took me 10-15 minutes to understand what had happened," he added.
Pellet guns are used as a last resort to control unruly crowds after all other non-lethal or less-lethal measures, such as warnings, persuasion, tear gas and water cannons, have been exhausted.
The CRPF has begun a detailed review of reports that RAF personnel fired pellet rounds during the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march from Delhi's Jantar Mantar, after some protesters were injured by pellets that hit the ground, with sources further indicating that pellets were used.
The review and the latest development come amid categorical denials by the police and government that pellet guns were used during the protest, even as victims have since come forward with accounts of pellet injuries. The CRPF is preparing a detailed report on the incident, with the official CRPF/RAF investigation report expected after the review.
According to CRPF sources, more than 47 RAF personnel were also injured in the Connaught Place area, some of them seriously. The Delhi Police and RAF had used crowd-control measures, including tear gas and lathi-charges, during the protest.
The CRPF is now conducting an internal professional review of the RAF's actions after the agitation. Such post-event assessments are part of the force's Standard Operating Procedure following every major operation and will examine all aspects of the RAF's actions and the overall operation.
At least four cases of pellet-gun injuries among protesters at Delhi's Jantar Mantar have been reported so far. India Today Digital spoke to one such victim, whose medical records showed that he sustained pellet injuries during the CJP's 'Sansad Chalo' march on July 20.
On Friday, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi addressed the media alongside one such victim, Sahil Lohchab, whose injuries were visible across his body and face.
“The government has been denying that pellets were fired. But here is the proof,” Rahul Gandhi said as he lifted Sahil’s T-shirt to show what he described as pellet injury marks across his upper torso.
“The government must stop lying. They have fired guns at the future of India,” Rahul said.
Rahul further pointed out that a pellet had struck and severely damaged one of Sahil's eyes, adding that he had been holding the national flag and marching peacefully when the incident occurred.
On the other hand, the 25-year-old victim told India Today Digital that he was lucky not to lose his eyesight after turning around to flee when he saw a police personnel aiming a gun at him.
“Then, amid the ruckus at the protest site, I suddenly saw a policeman aiming a gun at me, so I tried to run. That’s when I was hit on my back and around my right elbow. If I hadn’t seen him aiming at me and run, I think I would have been hit in the face,” he said.
At first, he did not feel any pain and only felt something hit him. Moments later, however, the victim told India Today Digital that the sensation felt like hot metal piercing his flesh, as though his back was on fire.
"Then I saw the wound. The blood was dripping," the victim told India Today Digital.
"I was also surprised because I thought, was the police officer's aim really that accurate? A lot of other people around me were also hit. But there was so much chaos that it took me 10-15 minutes to understand what had happened," he added.
Pellet guns are used as a last resort to control unruly crowds after all other non-lethal or less-lethal measures, such as warnings, persuasion, tear gas and water cannons, have been exhausted.
