Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 22: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi ended his over-six-hour dharna outside the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi on Friday after the Delhi Police registered an FIR on the complaint of a young protester who suffered pellet injuries during a July 20 demonstration.
Gandhi had staged the sit-in along with 19-year-old Sahil Lochab, demanding that police register an FIR over the injuries allegedly caused by pellet firing during the ‘Sansad Chalo’ protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar.
Lochab, a resident of Najafgarh, had alleged that he was hit by several metal pellets during the protest and suffered serious injuries to his right eye, resulting in loss of vision. He had been seeking registration of an FIR for nearly a month.
Gandhi arrived at the Parliament Street police station with Lochab and sought to meet senior police officials. After the meeting, he alleged that the police had refused to register the complaint.
“Sahil wants to file FIR for justice, but that is not being allowed,” Gandhi said before sitting on the dharna.
Gandhi maintained that he would not leave the spot until an FIR was registered. Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, also joined the protest. The extended sit-in drew a significant police presence, including deployment of the Rapid Action Force to maintain law and order.
The Delhi Police eventually registered the FIR against unknown persons on Lochab’s complaint. The case was registered under Section 118 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means, and Section 25, concerning acts endangering life or personal safety.
The FIR came after more than six hours of Gandhi’s protest. Reacting to the development, Gandhi described the registration of the case as the “first step towards justice”.
“There are pellets in his body and he cannot even see as he has suffered injuries in his eye. This is injustice with this youngster. For almost a month, he has been calling for the registration of an FIR and moving from one police station to another,” Gandhi said.
According to Lochab’s complaint, he was injured during the July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar. The demonstration had been held over alleged irregularities in examinations, including the NEET paper leak and issues concerning recruitment examinations.
Lochab and his lawyers had reportedly submitted a written complaint to the Delhi Police on August 14 but alleged that they were not given an investigating-officer number or acknowledgement.
ThePrint, citing the FIR, reported that the case was registered against an unnamed person in connection with the pellet injuries. The report also said Lochab had submitted hospital records describing injuries caused by small metallic pellets and indicating an extremely low chance of recovering vision in the affected eye.
The episode triggered a political confrontation between the Congress and the Delhi Police, with Gandhi questioning why an FIR had not been registered earlier.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram criticised the delay, saying it had taken 30 days and a seven-hour protest by the Leader of the Opposition before the FIR was registered. He argued that FIRs should be registered promptly when complaints are made.
The Delhi Police, meanwhile, maintained that the matter was being examined and that the FIR had now been registered in accordance with the complaint. The investigation will determine the circumstances surrounding the pellet injuries and identify those responsible.
Gandhi's dharna ended shortly after the police formally registered the case, bringing the prolonged standoff outside the Parliament Street police station to an end.