A month after clashes during a Parliament march in Delhi, several protesters injured by pellet fragments are still undergoing treatment, with some continuing to live with metal fragments lodged in their bodies.
The protesters were part of a movement led under the banner of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). Some of those injured during the July 20 incident have also alleged that no CJP leader has contacted them to enquire about their health since the violence.
Irshad Mansoori, a resident of Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, was hit by nearly 40 pellet fragments on his face, near his eye, chest and other parts of his body. Doctors at Lady Hardinge Medical College removed some of the fragments during surgery on July 21.
Although Mansoori spent five days in hospital, several metal fragments remain lodged in his body and his surgical wounds have not healed completely. He has yet to return to work at a corporate firm in Gurugram and is pursuing a legal case in the Supreme Court seeking compensation.
For 19-year-old Sahil Lochav, the injuries have been more severe. Pellet fragments struck his right eye during the July 20 incident, causing a hole in the cornea and resulting in loss of vision. Doctors performed a second surgery on July 31 and inserted a lens, but his eyesight has not returned.
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Sahil remains under treatment and has also suffered an injury to his right hand, which is not functioning properly. His mother said some pellet fragments have still not been removed. The student, who is pursuing his undergraduate studies, has also been forced to miss classes because of his injuries.
Another protester, a 28-year-old sports journalist from Delhi, said he was hit by more than 30 pellets. Some fragments were removed from his skin and muscles, while others remain lodged deep inside his body. Doctors have advised against removing some of them as further surgery could cause additional wounds.
The journalist said the pellets struck his hand, chest and waist area and left his right hand numb for some time. Though he has returned home and resumed work, he continues to experience some pain.
The injuries have left the protesters facing prolonged treatment and disruption to their work and education. For some, the physical recovery has been accompanied by a sense of abandonment, with claims that CJP members have not reached out to check on their condition.
A month after the incident, some protesters are still waiting for their wounds to heal, while others are pursuing legal remedies over the injuries sustained during the march.
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