India Protest Victims Show Wounds Consistent with Pellet-Gun Fire, Experts Say

Ballistic experts have determined that dozens of tiny round puncture wounds found on Indian protesters from the so-called cockroach movement are tell-tale signs of pellet gun injuries, BBC reporting reveals. The findings raise grave concerns about the methods used by Indian security forces during demonstrations against the country's education minister.

The Cockroach Movement and Its Crackdown

The protest movement gathered enormous momentum as young Indians took to the streets demanding accountability in the education sector. At its peak, the demonstrations involved hundreds of thousands of participants across multiple states.

The movement succeeded in forcing the resignation of India's education minister. However, footage and medical evidence subsequently emerged suggesting that security forces used pellet guns against crowds in at least some instances, inflicting painful and potentially disabling injuries on protesters.

Authorities Face Accountability Questions

Indian authorities have not formally confirmed the use of pellet guns against protesters. However, the ballistic evidence examined by experts points strongly to this type of ammunition, which has previously been used controversially in other regional conflicts within India. Human rights organisations are calling for an independent investigation into the security response.