Pellet guns are 12-gauge pump-action shotguns that, although generally designed for hunting, contain up to 600 metal pellets in a single cartridge and are used in incidents of civil unrest, as seen in the example of India. Despite being defined in the “non-lethal” weapon class, the uncontrolled scattering of pellets—which reach speeds of 1,100 km/h when fired—causes permanent damage, particularly to the eyes and soft tissues. These weapons, which came to prominence through their use by security forces in Indian-controlled Kashmir, have a devastating impact, causing hundreds of people to lose their eyesight and resulting in serious injuries to numerous civilians.
What is a pellet gun?
Pellet guns generally fall into the class of pistols, rifles, or shotguns designed for hunting. The specific model utilized by Indian security forces is a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun. Its tubular magazine can hold four cartridges, and a single pumping motion performs the extraction, loading, and cocking processes. Its ability to be reloaded quickly makes it a preferred choice for counter-ambush operations.
These cartridges contain up to 600 small metal pellets. When fired, these pellets reach speeds of 1,100 km/h and scatter across a wide area. Since they lack a specific trajectory, they can penetrate skin and soft tissues even from a distance of 300 meters. The eyes are among the most severely affected areas; many victims have lost their sight despite multiple surgeries, and some still carry pellets in their eyes because removal is deemed too risky.
Although defined as a “non-lethal weapon” by the Indian government, the impact of these guns in Kashmir has been devastating. Security forces began using them for crowd control in 2010, but this decision backfired. For instance, in November 2018, two-year-old Heba Nazir was recorded as Kashmir’s youngest pellet victim, facing the risk of permanent vision loss. Despite government announcements in 2016 to reconsider their use following public outcry, over 7,000 people were injured by pellets that same year, with more than 1,500 suffering serious eye damage.