Injuries to Delhi protesters likely caused by gunshots

Independent ballistic experts told the BBC that wounds on some Cockroach Janta Party supporters injured during a 20 July protest in Delhi were consistent with pellet-gun fire, while authorities have not confirmed such weapons were used.

BBC News said central Delhi saw overwhelming violence when tens of thousands of protesters tried to march to parliament seeking education reforms and the resignation of the education minister. Delhi Police said 60 protesters and 118 police personnel were injured, while the CJP said the number of injured protesters was much higher.

BBC confirmed at least four hospital cases involving wounds that experts said were caused by pellet guns. UK-based ballistics forensic scientist Philip Boyce said the injuries shown were "definitely from a pellet gun" and identified the weapon as "a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun". NR Jenzen-Jones of Armament Research Services said images and video showed police using shotguns for crowd control and that the injuries were strongly consistent with birdshot.

Pellet guns are shotguns designed for bird hunting and fire cartridges known as birdshot, containing 200 to 400 small metal pellets. Jenzen-Jones said such pellets can cause life-changing or occasionally life-threatening injuries and can leave toxic lead in the body.

Delhi Police called early claims of pellet-gun use "completely false and misleading" and said they did not possess pellet guns. Indian media later reported that the shots were fired by the Rapid Action Force, which reports to the Central Reserve Police Force; CRPF chief Gyanendra Pratap Singh had not responded to questions.

Government minister Jitendra Singh told parliament that no bullets were fired and only tear gas was used, but did not comment on pellet guns. Pellet guns have been used in Indian-administered Kashmir since 2010, where official data compiled by Human Rights Watch says they have injured several thousand people, killed at least 17 and blinded dozens.