A controversy has erupted in Manipur following reports of the use of pellet guns on students during recent protests against the killing of two young students in Bishnupur district. Out of the 100 students injured in the protests, at least 10 have suffered pellet injuries, reminiscent of incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in 2016. Hospital sources revealed that students, including minors, sustained multiple pellet wounds on various body parts. These injured students are currently undergoing treatment at different hospitals in Imphal.
Several organizations, including the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR), and political leaders, such as ruling BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh, have strongly condemned the security forces’ actions. Director General of Police Rajiv Singh has formed a committee to investigate allegations of excesses by security forces during the protests. The use of pellet guns had previously drawn concern, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urging India to end their use in a UN Report on Children in 2021.
The protests in Manipur were sparked by photos of two missing students’ bodies going viral on social media. Plastic and reconstructive surgeons have been removing pellets from injured protesters, including 17-year-old Loitongbam Kishan and 20-year-old Uttam Soibam, both of whom needed surgical procedures to address their pellet wounds. A meeting of senior Central Armed Police Force officers was held to discuss the ongoing law and order situation in the region.