Student injured by air rifle pellet during Diwali event at GNDU

A 25-year-old student of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) here sustained serious injury in the face after being accidentally hit by a pellet from an air rifle during a Diwali celebration event on the university campus on Thursday afternoon.

The injured student, identified as Waris Singh Sandhu, was struck on the upper lip by a pellet while passing near a balloon-shooting stall set up in the parking area of the Mathematics Department, where the festivities were being held. The bullet tore through his upper lip causing heavy bleeding.

With no arrangement for first aid available at the site, Waris was rushed to the university clinic by a friend in an auto-rickshaw. Doctors at the clinic removed the bullet.

Waris said, “Balloons were being shot with air rifles, but the pellets were flying all around. I was just passing by when a pellet hit me. The stall was installed without any safety measures, which is a serious lapse.” He added that since the incident, he has been unable to eat or drink properly and is in pain.

On Friday, Waris submitted a complaint in writing to the vice-chancellor’s office, demanding accountability and adequate safety measures during future campus events.