Journalist Injured in Delhi Protest: Over 30 Pellets Still Lodged, Seeks Compensation

Three days after participating in the 'Chalo Sansad' march in Delhi, a 28-year-old journalist with Outlook magazine remains at home with more than 30 pellets lodged in his body. The journalist, who covers sports, said he is working through the pain and eager to return to reporting.

A medical report from Safdarjung Hospital, dated July 22, reviewed by The Indian Express, states that he sustained injuries from “physical assault at Jantar Mantar by pellet gun.” The report notes wounds on his right arm, chest, and back, with doctors describing injuries “consistent with pellets.”

The journalist, who requested anonymity, told reporters that he joined the march on July 20, demanding accountability from the central government over exam paper leaks and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He said the turning point for him was when activist Sonam Wangchuk was taken away by police earlier in the day.

The march proceeded from Jantar Mantar towards Connaught Place. According to the journalist, clashes broke out around 4 pm. “Initially, the police were firing tear gas into the sky, but then I saw it being aimed towards the crowd. A person standing just ahead of me was hit barely one or two inches above his eye by what I believe was a tear gas shell,” he recalled.

He described a chaotic scene with people running. He said he saw an officer aiming a gun at him and felt a shot hit his back as he turned to run. “At first I felt a tingling sensation. Then it felt like my back was on fire,” he said. He walked a short distance and sat down, later noticing multiple wounds where blood had clotted.

With police restricting movement around Connaught Place, the journalist waited for nearly an hour before riding to a friend’s house. “When I reached, I checked my vest. It was drenched in blood,” he said. His friend photographed the wounds and used an online tool to identify them as possible pellet injuries.

That evening, he received a tetanus injection. The following evening, he went to Safdarjung Hospital, where he remained from around 7 pm until nearly 4 am. Doctors cleaned the wounds, administered an IV drip, and conducted a CT scan, MRI, and X-ray. They informed him he had been hit by more than 30 pellets.

According to the journalist, doctors advised against surgical removal, saying making incisions could cause more harm. They said the wounds would heal, but the pellets would likely remain inside. He was told he was fortunate the pellets had not lodged near bones.

The journalist has been advised to take pain medication as needed and has a follow-up appointment with an orthopaedic specialist. He also plans to seek a second opinion and wants compensation for his injuries.