Since the day the army killed Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani, the violence in Kashmir has left another 30 dead. Protestors who take to the streets are usually hankering for a fight and usually get one. They resort to stone pelting and in reply are dealt a non-lethal hand. Pellet guns.
AP
Introduced in the valley after the 2010 violence that killed 100 people, pellet guns are the favoured means of crowd control. A police officer speaking to TOI said of all the crowd control methods they use, like tear gas and water cannons, pellet shots are the most effective. "The long recovery time keeps the injured busy and incapacitates them from going back to stone-pelting," he adds.
The results however are more than just superficial. Pellet injuries take a long time to heal and can cause blindness and leave deep scars. "Sometimes, deep pellet injuries require surgeries," Dr Mohsin told TOI. "Look at the hundreds of wounds he has got in his body due to pellets. He will probably lose his eyes. A child does not deserve this!" cries an aggrieved uncle of 17-year-old Raju at SKIMS hospital.
AP
Pellets are small projectiles made of lead a few millimeters in size that are meant to sting the target. While this aim is achieved, they are also hurting youngsters like five-year-old Zohra Zahoor. She received injuries to her leg, forearms and abdomen. Some are worse off. 18-year-old Tariq Gojri of Baramulla lost his right eye to a pellet injury.
AFP
It’s not hard to guess the long term effects of these injuries either. Wounds leave behind scars that are deeper than the ones on the skin. Losing an eye or a limb can only take a turn for the worse, building up resentment against the Indian government. And alienating locals is the last thing that the government wants.