India, July 30 -- The Supreme Court of India on Thursday stated that the use of pellet guns by security personnel and police was allowed "under exceptional circumstances" while hearing a plea which sought the ban of the lethal weapons.

This statement comes after a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, heard a petition filed by Yashovardhan Azad, a former special director of IB and Central Information Commissioner (CIC) under the Right to Information Act, which called for a ban on using pellet guns and compensation for the victims of the July 20 protest.

The petitioner also sought directions to ban the use of wholly or partly metallic kinetic projectiles, pellets fired from pump action ...