19-year-old may lose vision in right eye due to pellet injury, says family
A 19-year-old student protester is at risk of permanent blindness after being struck by a metal pellet during a Cockroach Janta Party demonstration in Delhi. While police have denied the use of such weapons, medical sources and family accounts confirm that pellet guns were deployed against civilians during the July 20 protest.
Why it matters
This incident marks the first reported use of pellet guns against civilians in Delhi, raising significant concerns regarding police crowd-control tactics and the use of force against protesters.
A 19-year-old protester hit by a pellet gun during police action at the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) July 20 march to Parliament may lose vision in his right eye, his family said.
Sahil Lochab, a resident of Najafgarh in southwest Delhi, underwent a surgery to remove pellets at the AIIMS Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre on Tuesday (July 21, 2026). Doctors have informed that there is only a “1% chance” of vision returning in the injured eye as the pupil was damaged, his family said.
Mr. Lochab, who wants to join the police, is a student of Delhi University’s School of Open Learning. His mother, Jyoti, said, “He had attended the CJP protests before and went again on Monday (July 20), saying it was important and would help his studies... He always wanted to become a police officer. He is pursuing a distance-learning course while preparing for competitive examinations.”
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in