19-year-old may lose vision in right eye due to pellet injury, says family

19-year-old may lose vision in right eye due to pellet injury, notes family Sahil Lochab underwent a surgery to remove pellets; doctors have informed that there is only a "1% chance" of vision returning in the injured eye as the pupil was damaged, his family stated.

Key points

• Sahil Lochab, a resident of Najafgarh in southwest Delhi, underwent a surgery to remove pellets at the AIIMS Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre on Tuesday (July 21, 2026).
• 'Chalo Lok Bhavan' protest in Hyderabad calls for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's removal.
• Pellets guns and shock-batons are part of the gear of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), the specialised anti-riot unit under the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
• Protesters gather at Shivaji Park in Mumbai; around 300 detentions documented on July 20.
• Rahul Gandhi sits on dharna at police station in New Delhi, demands FIR over pellet gun employ during July 20 protest.

Meanwhile, a 19-year-old protester hit by a pellet gun during police action at the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP)July 20 march to Parliament may lose vision in his right eye, his family remarked.

Sahil Lochab, a resident of Najafgarh in southwest Delhi, underwent a surgery to remove pellets at the AIIMS Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre on Tuesday (July 21, 2026). Doctors have informed that there is only a "1% chance" of vision returning in the injured eye as the pupil was damaged, his family remarked.

Mr. Lochab, who wants to join the police, is a student of Delhi University's School of Open Learning. His mother, Jyoti, remarked, "He had attended the CJP protests before and went again on Monday (July 20), saying it was notable and would support his studies. He always wanted to become a police officer. He is pursuing a distance-learning course while preparing for competitive examinations." Ms. According to Jyoti, her son will undergo another surgery shortly.

Parvesh, a childhood friend of Mr. Lochab, remarked, "Sahil stated he was hit directly in his eye. From what we have been informed, a second operation for his pupils will determine whether his vision will return to normal." He went on that Mr. Lochab is not yet able to see and is in a lot of pain.

Mr. Parvesh remarked his friend "was vocal about education issues" ever since he was a child and has been studying for the Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level examination.

Just like Mr. Mansoori, Mr. Lochab was taken to LHMC and then transferred to the AIIMS trauma centre.

Though Delhi Police had denied the employ of pellet guns, Mr. Lochab's family remarked it was informed that the injuries were caused by pellets. A hospital source confirmed it.

On Wednesday, The Hindu documented that how pellet guns, technically known as pump action guns, were probable applied against protesters on July 20. This was the first known instance of security forces using pellet guns on civilians in Delhi. One of the 80 injured protesters, identified as Shaikh Irshad Mansoori, underwent surgery at Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) on Tuesday to remove a metal pellet lodged under his eye.

Mr. Mansoori will undergo another surgery and is projected to be transferred to another hospital with the necessary equipment. A hospital source remarked the pellets that have injured the two were of metal, not plastic.

Pellets guns and shock-batons are part of the gear of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), the specialised anti-riot unit under the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). It was deployed alongside Delhi Police on July 20 in and around Jantar Mantar. RAF, being a Central force, was deployed at the request of Delhi Police and remained under its operational control at the time of incident.

There has been no response from the CRPF on the employ of pellet guns.

As per a statement by Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on Wednesday, meanwhile, Sakshi, 21, who sustained critical injuries during the protest, was removed from ventilator backing after she responded to treatment. "She has been successfully extubated (removed from the ventilator) and is now breathing on her own. She is conscious and responding appropriately to commands. Her MRI of the brain and spine is normal, " it remarked. Meanwhile, the 'cockroaches' who refuse to crawl away. Nikhil M Babu, Shrimansi Kaushik, Serena Josephine M., Vinaya Deshpande Pandit. Jantar Mantar erupts into celebration, dancing, and slogans as Pradhan resigns.

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Taken together, the developments around 19-year-old may lose vision in right eye due to pellet injury, says point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.