Delhi Police to register FIR in July 20 Jantar Mantar pellet injury case
The Delhi Police have agreed to register an FIR in connection with pellet injuries sustained by a 19-year-old youth during a protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20. The decision comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held a sit-in at the Parliament Street police station, demanding registration of the case.
An official source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the development on Friday. “We will be registering an FIR in the matter,” the source said. No specific timeline for filing the FIR was given.
The injured youth, identified as Sahil Lochab, was part of a protest led by the CJP at Jantar Mantar on July 20. He suffered pellet injuries during the demonstration. The precise sequence of events leading to his injury has not been officially documented in public records so far.
On Friday morning, Mr. Gandhi, accompanied by Mr. Lochab, first visited the Mandir Marg police station and requested that an FIR be registered. After his request was not met, the two proceeded to the Parliament Street police station. There, Mr. Gandhi met Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Sachin Sharma before staging a sit-in.
The sit-in drew attention to the case, and later in the day the police source indicated that an FIR would be registered. This marks a shift from the earlier stance, which had not resulted in any formal complaint being lodged.
An FIR is the foundational step in the criminal justice process, as it enables police to conduct a formal investigation. The registration of this FIR will allow authorities to examine the circumstances of the July 20 protest and the use of force during it.
The incident is part of a wider context of demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site in the national capital. Pellet injuries have been a topic of concern in various protests across India in recent years. However, no conclusions about the justification or legality of the force used on July 20 have been established, as the inquiry has not yet commenced.
Neither the Delhi Police nor Mr. Gandhi's office has issued an official statement elaborating on the next steps. The development is expected to initiate a formal process to establish the facts of the case.
