Rahul Gandhi Sits on Dharna at Police Station, Demands FIR in Pellet Gun Case
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi staged a dharna (sit-in) outside the Parliament Street Police Station in New Delhi on Friday, demanding the registration of an FIR in connection with pellet injuries suffered by a 19-year-old protester during a protest on July 20. The protest was related to the NEET paper leak issue.
Mr. Gandhi was accompanied by Sahil Lochab, who was hit by a pellet gun during police action at the protest. Mr. Lochab suffered injuries to his eyes and abdomen and later underwent surgery at the AIIMS Trauma Centre.
The Delhi Police barricaded the area and closed the police station gates as Congress party workers and supporters attempted to enter, raising slogans. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also arrived at the station with party workers and staged a dharna outside the gates.
According to the Congress party, Mr. Lochab had approached the Delhi Police with his lawyers on August 14 and submitted a written complaint. However, the police allegedly did not provide an acknowledgement or a complaint number. The complaint was pursued again on August 17 via email and phone, but again no acknowledgement was provided, the party said.
On Friday, Mr. Gandhi accompanied Mr. Lochab to the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) to press for action. The party said the DCP did not provide a case officer or complaint number. "As it's a cognisable offence, an FIR also has to be registered, but Delhi police is not doing so," the party said in a statement.
The Supreme Court has previously ruled that the use of pellet guns in "exceptional circumstances" is part of a graded police response. However, the complainant maintains that the incident constitutes a cognisable offence warranting an FIR.
Earlier, on July 29, Mr. Gandhi had addressed the media and claimed that protesting students were fired at with pellet guns. He also said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was responsible for "brutality" against the protesters. These are allegations, and no independent verification has been made.
No immediate response was available from the Delhi Police regarding the demand for an FIR.
