Sources Say Delhi Police Registers FIR After Rahul Gandhi's Sit-In

The Delhi Police has registered an FIR concerning a 19-year-old student who allegedly suffered pellet-gun injuries during a protest near Parliament on July 20. The development came after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi staged a sit-in outside a Delhi police station along with the student, Sahil Lochab, demanding that a case be registered. Police sources said the victim’s medical reports and other relevant documents were collected before the FIR was filed on the basis of his complaint.

Lochab has alleged that he was struck by pellets while participating in the student protest at Jantar Mantar. He was initially admitted to Lady Hardinge Medical College before being referred to AIIMS, where he underwent surgery. According to his account, his vision in one eye remains affected. Rahul Gandhi, who accompanied him during the protest, claimed that hundreds of pellets were lodged in the student’s body and that three had entered his eye. The Congress leader displayed pellets and medical documents before reporters while demanding accountability for the alleged use of force.

The FIR follows a dispute over the police response to the student’s complaint. Lochab said he submitted a seven-page complaint on August 14 but alleged that the case was not registered at the time. His lawyer claimed that they were directed between Connaught Place Police Station and Parliament Street Police Station over jurisdictional issues. According to the lawyer, officials initially declined to accept the complaint, leading to further demands for police action.

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The Delhi Police has denied using pellet guns against student protesters during the July 20 demonstration. The protest site at Jantar Mantar had also seen the deployment of the Rapid Action Force, a riot-control unit of the Central Reserve Police Force. Pellet guns have previously been used in crowd-control situations in India and can cause serious injuries because they disperse multiple projectiles over a wide area. The CRPF has not publicly clarified whether such weapons were used during the Delhi protest.

The controversy has also drawn attention to the circumstances surrounding the alleged injuries and the police response. Rahul Gandhi had warned that he would continue his sit-in until an FIR was registered, saying he was prepared to remain outside the police station for an extended period. During the protest, he said the student had been peacefully demonstrating when he was allegedly hit by pellets and expressed concern over the possible damage to his eyesight.

The registration of the FIR is expected to move the matter into a formal investigation, with the police likely to examine the victim’s medical records, his complaint and other available evidence concerning the alleged firing. The case comes as questions remain over the use of force during student demonstrations and the circumstances in which the injuries occurred. The investigation will now have to establish what caused Lochab’s injuries, who was responsible and whether any rules governing crowd-control measures were violated.

Also Read: "3 Pellets In Eye, 200 In Body": Rahul Gandhi Sits Outside Police Station, Demands FIR