Blinded Humans of Kashmir: The Legacy of Metal Pellets

Loss of sight and severe injuries are only a few of their physical troubles; the psychological scars run deeper.

Insha Mushtaq Malik from Sedow, south Kashmir, says she was standing by the window of her village home watching protesters and troops skirmish when more than a 100 pellets hit her face, “Everything looks dark and black.” Five months after she lost her eyes, Malik is still learning how to deal with her loss, both emotionally and practically. (Photo: AP)

Small metal pellets, a "non-lethal" weapon for crowd-control, have injured hundreds of Kashmiris. Their faces are scarred. Their eyes are damaged or simply gone, replaced with prosthetics. And their psychological wounds run deeper still.

The pellets have been in use since 2010. Soldiers are trained to fire the shotguns below protesters' waists, causing immense pain but – in theory – no permanent injuries.

Some of those injured were protesters, others just bystanders.

Photojournalist Xuhaib Maqbool. (Photo: AP)

Photojournalist Xuhaib Maqbool ended up losing vision in his left eye as he shot images of protesters chanting anti-India slogans and demanding "azadi" or freedom from Indian rule.

Faisal Ahmad. (Photo: AP)

Metal pellets, shot by the security forces, wounded Faisal Ahmad during a raid in his village in Karimabad. He lost eyesight in his left eye.

Suhail Ahmad Mir. (Photo: AP)

Suhail Ahmad was wounded by metal pellets during a protest that erupted after Burhan Wani’s death. He lost eyesight in one eye and was left with a scarred face. "My life has been ruined, what can I be now?"

Danish Rajab Jhat. (Photo: AP)

Danish Rajab Jhat says, "My left eye is completely damaged and with my right eye I can only see some sort of shadows, not clear vision."

Tanveer. (Photo: AP)

Tanveer lost eyesight in his right eye because of metal pellet injuries. "I was an earning hand of my family. I feel like the living dead." he says.

Firdous Ahmas Dar. (Photo: AP)

Firdous is a Kashmiri man who, like many others, lost vision in both eyes after Indian troops used shotguns to spray hundreds of metal pellets to quell an anti-India protest. "I was the only bread-earner of the family. It was my time to look after my old parents and my siblings, but now they have to look after me... What I miss most is being able to read the holy Quran," says Firdous.

Javed Ah-Dar. (Photo: AP)

Javed Ah-Dar was injured in both eyes by metal pellets when Indian forces raided Rahmoo village, in the district of Pulwama.

Manzoor Ah-Dar. (Photo: AP)

Manzoor Ah-Dar from Rahmoo, in Pulwama, was injured in both eyes by metal pellets when Indian forces raided the village.

Aamir Ashraf Hajam. (Photo: AP)

Aamir Ashraf Hajam, from a village near Baramulla, lost his right eye six years ago when he was fired at by India security forces using a shotgun loaded with metal pellets.

(Published in an arrangement with AP.)