Delhi Protester May Lose Vision After Alleged Pellet Injury

A 19-year-old student who participated in a protest march in New Delhi last week faces the potential permanent loss of vision in his right eye after sustaining injuries that his family and hospital sources allege were caused by metal pellets. The incident has sparked a contentious dispute over the use of force by security personnel during the demonstration.

Sahil Lochab, a resident of Najafgarh and a student at Delhi University's School of Open Learning, was injured during the "Chalo Sansad" march to Parliament on July 20. The protest, organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), centered on education-related demands, including concerns over the NEET examination. Lochab underwent surgery at the AIIMS Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre on July 21 to remove pellets lodged in his eye. His family stated that doctors initially gave him only a one percent chance of regaining sight in the injured eye, though they later offered a slightly more hopeful prognosis. A second surgery is expected to further assess the possibility of restoring any vision.

Lochab's family and a hospital source maintain that his injuries are consistent with metal pellet wounds. However, Delhi Police have...