Experts find tell-tale signs of pellet-gun fire by Indian police during 'cockroach' protests: BBC

ISLAMABAD: UK-based ballistics forensic scientist Philip Boyce has said that injuries sustained by protestors during the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protests last month depicted pellet gun wounds. 

The Jantar Mantar protest by the CJP last month in New Delhi saw bouts of unrest and violence that snowballed after police fired tear gas and baton-charged demonstrators. India’s Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi also accused police of using pellet guns on protesters, after meeting an injured demonstrator in hospital.

In its report, BBC confirmed, as per experts, that at least four cases where protestors received treatment from wound caused by pellet guns during the protests in New Delhi.

While speaking to the BBC, Boyce said that the weapon used by the Indian police was “a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun.” 

“The injuries depicted are definitely from a pellet gun,” he said, adding that injuries from the birdshot could be “devastating and potentially life-threatening.” 

Armament Research Services (ARES) Director NR Jenzen-Jones said that photos of injuries from the protests were “strongly consistent with the use of birdshot."

“They can result in life-changing or, occasionally, life-threatening injuries. They also pepper the body with toxic lead, which can sometimes be difficult to remove safely," he said, according to BBC.

Two men who the BBC spoke to got injured in Connaught Place on July 20. 

The report also cited comments from senior hospital official who said that injuries were caused by "pellet-type small particles."

Pakistan’s foreign office had termed the use of pallet gun “abhorring” wherever it took place. 

“Whether it takes place in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir or in India. We totally condemn that,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said last week.

“India justified the use of pellet gun as a crowd control. So, these developments are well documented,” he said. “Pakistan condemns the use of pallet guns in the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, as well as in India itself.”