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In photos: Pellet guns maim, these Kashmiris are proof

Kashmir lies engulfed in tragedy once again. The death of 22-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani sparked the violence and now scores of young people have become collateral damage thanks to the unrestrained use of pellet guns.

At present, the death toll stands at 43. But nearly 2,000 have been injured - 125 with bullets and 595 with pellet guns.

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Even though the police have claimed that it is a "non-lethal weapon", doctors treating pellet victims say it maims a person forever. Over 90 people have been blinded for life, pushing them into a dark future.

The state police introduced the use of pellet guns in 2010 when more then 100 people were killed during the stone-pelting protests.

Police officials said that one cartridge of a pellet gun contains a few hundred pellets which resemble ball bearings. The moment it is fired, the cartridge bursts and immediately throws hundreds of pellet from a single point. This allows it to hit a number of people simultaneously.

Despite appeals by rights group to stop the practice of using pellet guns, Indian armed forces continue to use them.

These photos give us a brief peek into the life of someone who\'s been at the receiving end of these dangerous guns.

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