MBA graduate claims RAF fired pellet gun during protest

Irshad, an MBA graduate, alleges that an RAF officer shot him with a pellet gun during the July 20 Parliament march.

On a hospital bed at Lady Hardinge Hospital in Delhi, 25-year-old Irshad Sheikh, recovering from surgery, still shudders at the memory of the incident. The MBA graduate claims that during the Parliament march on July 20, a Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel fired a pellet gun at him, resulting in multiple pellets hitting his face.

According to a report by The Indian Express, the RAF of the CRPF was deployed alongside Delhi Police to control the crowd during the Parliament march. As the situation escalated, the police resorted to lathi-charge, tear gas, and pellet guns.

On Wednesday, Delhi Police denied using pellet guns. Meanwhile, Dr. Himani Ahluwalia, Director of Lady Hardinge Hospital, refrained from commenting on the matter.

Irshad recounted that he was present near the protest site from 9 AM. He had a meeting from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM. After the meeting, he rejoined the protest.

He said,

"I was walking with other protesters near Jantar Mantar when the police started lathi-charge. We retreated, but shortly after, tear gas shells were fired. The gas caused severe burning in my eyes, and for a moment, I couldn't see anything."

According to Irshad, when he tried to retreat, the path was blocked by the police. He approached the policemen and said,

"Sir, please don't hit us. We are students, citizens of this country, not terrorists." He claims that at that moment, an RAF personnel in blue uniform approached him. "He had a gun in his hand. Initially, I thought he was just trying to scare me, but the next moment he aimed the gun at my face and fired."

Irshad stated that as soon as the gun was fired, several pellets hit his face. "Initially, I sensed a strange smell. Then there was intense pain in my right eyebrow. The pellets travelled from near my right eye to my cheek and nose. Some pellets hit my chin, neck, shoulder, and chest. When I touched my face, there was blood everywhere."

He mentioned that he did not lose consciousness. "There was no warning from the police. Some people covered my face with a cloth and safely evacuated me from there."

Around 5 PM, he reached Lady Hardinge Hospital. Doctors initially treated him in the emergency and then admitted him to the ward. Irshad said that doctors informed him that several pellets were lodged in his face, eye, and neck. As surgeons were unavailable that night, he was given pain medication and advised to wait until the next day. The following day, ENT department doctors performed his surgery. According to Irshad, doctors revealed that one pellet was lodged very close to a muscle in his eye, which could have affected his vision if not removed. Another pellet was near a major vein in the neck, while a third was lodged inside the nose.

It is noteworthy that after the 2010 protests in Jammu and Kashmir, central forces began using pellet guns for crowd control. Later, reports of pellet gun use emerged in Jammu and Kashmir in 2016, Manipur in 2023, the farmers' movement in 2024, and the Leh movement in 2025.

On Tuesday, Irshad was shifted to the ENT ward, where his treatment continues. On the same day, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda visited him at the hospital. According to Irshad, Nadda told him, "Don't worry, your complete treatment will be done. We are with you."

Irshad mentioned that the minister asked him why he attended the protest. To this, he replied,

"It was my duty to go there. I believe in the issue for which people were protesting, so I participated."