A case of pellet-like injuries linked to the July 20 CJP march to Parliament has surfaced, with the family of a 22-year-old Delhi University student fearing he could permanently lose vision in his right eye. The incident has added to the controversy surrounding the protest, with activists claiming it marks the first reported use of pellet guns for crowd control in the national capital. The Delhi Police, however, have denied the charge.Sahil Lochab, a resident of Najafgarh, remains admitted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre after undergoing one eye surgery. According to his family, another procedure is scheduled as doctors attempt to save his eyesight. Sahil, who is pursuing graduation at Delhi University, works part-time and is preparing for the Delhi Police recruitment examination.His mother Jyoti Lochab said Sahil had joined the march carrying the Tricolour. She said, “He had gone to Jantar Mantar to join the protest. He told me he was waving the Tricolour when he suddenly heard a sound like something exploding near his face. He doesn’t know what happened after that. The doctors told us Sahil was hit by a pellet gun, but they are neither giving us any paperwork nor showing us anything. They have already performed surgery on him and are saying another one is needed. It seems his eye has been damaged. He currently has a bandage on. The situation will become clear once it is removed.”She also said Sahil was the family’s only earning member and the eldest among three siblings. Shivam Reddy, one of Sahil’s friends who were marching alongside him, said he was walking at the front of the procession while waving the national flag. “The police might have thought that he was leading the protesters as there were about 100-150 people behind him,” he claimed.According to Shivam, Sahil was first taken to Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital (LHMC) before being referred to Safdarjung Hospital because of heavy bleeding. He said Sahil was then shifted to AIIMS Delhi, from where he was referred to the AIIMS RP Eye Centre. “From 4 pm on Tuesday until 4 am, we were running around trying to get him treated,” he said, adding that eye drops were administered only in the early hours of the morning.He claimed doctors later removed pellet fragments from Sahil’s eye during surgery and advised another operation. “They told us there is a one per cent chance his vision might return. We haven’t been shown any documents yet. We haven’t even received his MLC (medico-legal case) report,” he said.Arjun, another friend, questioned the handling of injured protesters. “We are students too. Our exam papers are getting leaked. Why is the government treating us this way? What was the need for such brutality?” he said, adding that the group spent the night moving between hospitals in the rain while waiting for treatment to begin.Attempts to obtain medical records or a response from the AIIMS Trauma Centre were unsuccessful. The Tribune sought a response from the AIIMS-Delhi administration, which is awaited. The LHMC administration declined to comment on the matter.Sahil’s case is the fourth publicly reported instance of pellet-like injuries following the July 20 protest. Earlier, Sheikh Irshad Mansoori from Jabalpur underwent surgery at the LHMC after sustaining injuries below his eyes. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a friend of Irshad, alleged that he was hit by a pellet fired by RAF personnel during the protest. “Irshad has undergone three surgeries. One pellet remains lodged in his neck. Doctors are still assessing the next course of treatment,” the friend said. He claimed Union Health Minister JP Nadda visited Irshad at the hospital.Another reported case involved a journalist who suffered multiple puncture wounds near Palika Bazar. Medical records prepared after the incident reportedly documented injuries resembling pellet wounds. The 12-bore pump-action rifles are commonly referred to as pellet guns.