Decade after Kashmir protests: Pellet gun wounds left deep psychological scars, study finds

At the peak of the 2016 protests in Jammu & Kashmir, thousands of civilians were injured by pellet guns. A study by the Government Medical College, Srinagar, published in 2018, has revealed the lasting psychological impact on victims. The research examined 380 pellet gun victims, finding that 30.38% of those with eye injuries suffered from depression, 16.92% from adjustment disorder, 13.08% from panic disorder, and 10.77% from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Of the 380 cases, 219 (57.63%) had simple injuries, while 161 (42.37%) had grievous injuries, including loss of eyes, ears, joints, fractures, disfigurement, and emasculation, as defined under Section 320 of the Indian Penal Code. The majority (260) suffered eye injuries, with 100 others reporting limb injuries.

The study found that among those with grievous injuries, depression was the most common psychiatric condition, followed by PTSD, adjustment disorder, and panic disorder. In patients with limb injuries, 29% had no psychiatric illness, while others were diagnosed with mixed anxiety and depression, specific phobias, hypomania, PTSD, substance abuse, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, adjustment disorder, and depression.

Most victims were in the age group of 10-20 years (40.79%) and 21-30 years (40.53%). The majority (56.97%) came from rural areas, while 43.03% were from urban areas. Among those with psychiatric morbidity, most belonged to nuclear families (75.23%), followed by joint families (18.89%) and extended families (5.88%).

Pellet shotgun cartridges, containing up to 500 pellets, were introduced in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2010 after street protests left around 100 civilians dead. A 2022 study in the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology noted that 30% of pellet victims in 2010 reported eye injuries, with 50% suffering open globe injuries. CT scans revealed intraorbital foreign bodies in 62.7% of patients and intraocular foreign bodies in 27.2%.

This research underscores the severe and lasting psychological toll of pellet gun injuries, highlighting the need for sustained mental health support for victims.