Delhi Police Registers FIR Over Pellet Gun Complaint as Rahul Gandhi Stages Dharna

August 21, 2026

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Friday registered an FIR in connection with a complaint alleging pellet gun injuries to a youth during a protest in the national capital. The FIR was registered against unidentified persons under Sections 118 and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Section 118 of the BNS deals with voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means, while Section 125 relates to acts endangering the life or personal safety of others.

The FIR was registered as Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi staged a sit-in protest, or dharna, outside the Parliament Street police station demanding action on the complaint.

Rahul Gandhi demands FIR

Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by 19-year-old Sahil Lochav, who alleged that he suffered pellet injuries during the July 20 protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi said he would not leave the police station until an FIR was registered on Lochav’s complaint.

Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other senior party leaders, joined the protest outside the Parliament Street police station. Lochav and his mother were also present.

Before reaching the Parliament Street police station, Rahul Gandhi had visited the Mandir Marg police station and sought registration of the FIR. He later met Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi district) Sachin Sharma at the Parliament Street police station.

Victim says vision remains affected

Lochav said he was injured by pellet gun fire during the July 20 protest and was initially admitted to Lady Hardinge Medical College Hospital before being referred to AIIMS.

“I underwent surgery at AIIMS. But the vision in my eye is still not clear,” he said.

According to Lochav, he submitted a seven-page complaint through his lawyer on August 14 but the FIR had not been registered at that time.

Congress presses for action

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had earlier said that the party’s demand was straightforward — registration of an FIR and issuance of the FIR number.

Rahul Gandhi also alleged that the use of force against a peaceful protester was a serious matter and questioned the government’s response to the incident.

The development comes amid continuing political tensions over the July 20 protests and allegations of excessive use of force. The Supreme Court has separately constituted a five-member High-Powered Expert Committee to conduct a fact-finding exercise into allegations of police excesses and violence by protesters during the demonstrations.

The committee is headed by retired Supreme Court Justice R. Subhash Reddy and includes former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court Justice Shalinder Kaur, former CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla and former Meghalaya DGP L.R. Bishnoi.

The FIR will now allow the Delhi Police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged pellet firing and identify those responsible.