How Rahul Gandhi Got FIR Registered in Pellet Gun Case After 8-Hour Protest - Video Details

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi today, August 22, shared a video detailing the sequence of events that led to the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) in the case of a 19-year-old student,  Sahil Lochav, who alleged pellet-gun injuries during a protest last month. The FIR was filed late on Friday after Gandhi staged a sit-in lasting several hours outside a central Delhi police station.

In his post on X, Gandhi wrote in Hindi: "Sahil’s FIR has finally been registered. But how it happened, you must see this". The accompanying video shows interactions at the police station, discussions with officers, and the eventual outcome. Who Was the Lawyer With Rahul Gandhi When He Approached Delhi Police Over FIR for Pellet Gun Victims? All About Advocate Swati Khanna.

Rahul Gandhi's Post on X

Sahil's FIR Has Finally Been Registered, Says Rahul Gandhi

Background of the Complaint by Sahil Lochab

Sahil Lochab, a 19-year-old student, alleged he was hit by metal pellets during a student march from Jantar Mantar toward Parliament on July 20. The protest, organised amid concerns over examination paper leaks including the NEET controversy, involved demands related to recruitment and exam irregularities. According to the complaint later registered, Lochab said a person in a blue uniform with a large gun fired pellets at him while he was at the front of the crowd holding an Indian flag. He reported injuries across his body, with medical records indicating over 200 pellets, including some in his right eye that affected his vision and others near his heart that could not be removed. He underwent treatment and surgery at AIIMS.

Lochab and his lawyers submitted a written complaint to Delhi Police around August 14. They said they received no investigating officer number or formal acknowledgement despite follow-ups. Delhi Police have previously stated that their personnel did not use pellet guns during the July 20 events.

Events at the Police Station

On Friday, August 21, Gandhi arrived at the Parliament Street police station around 11:30 ANwith Lochab, his mother, and their lawyer. They met senior officers, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central), seeking registration of the FIR. When that did not happen promptly, Gandhi began a sit-in outside the station and said he would remain until the complaint was formally registered. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra later joined the protest. Talks continued through the afternoon and evening. Congress workers gathered nearby. After roughly six to eight hours, police registered the FIR against unidentified persons. Gandhi and Lochab emerged with a copy of the document shortly before 7 PM.

Details of the FIR and Statements

The FIR was registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita dealing with voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means, and acts endangering life or personal safety. No specific individuals were named as accused. Gandhi described the registration as "the first step towards justice". He noted that pellets remained in Lochab's body more than a month after the incident and questioned why a citizen’s complaint required prolonged intervention at a police station in the heart of New Delhi. He alleged that local officers had been willing to act, but that clearance had been needed from higher levels in the Home Ministry.

‘It Took 30 Days and 7-Hour Dharna’: P Chidambaram Slams Delhi Police Over Pellet Injury FIR, Hails Rahul Gandhi.

"The case has been registered. It has been a month since he was hit by that bullet. Pellets are still lodged in his body; three are in his eye, and he cannot see out of it. Three or four are near his heart. A grave injustice has been done to this young man. We arrived here at 11:00 or 11:30 this morning. We have been here all this time - it is now nearly a quarter to seven - and only now has the FIR been filed," Rahul said. Gandhi also said that they haven't done anything wrong and simply sought justice for an Indian citizen - for his mother and father - and it took 8 hours.  "The final approval - the ultimate 'okay' - had to come from the Home Secretary and Amit Shah himself. Only then was the FIR finally issued. So, you can understand who was holding up the FIR. These police officers wanted to register it; the others wanted to do it too, but the brakes on justice were being applied from the top," he added.

Lochab thanked Gandhi, saying the leader had contacted him about his health, learned the FIR had not been registered, and immediately offered to help the next day. He stated that the process took about eight hours on Friday, August 21, and that the complaint might not have been registered without the intervention. He had been trying since mid-August. The development has drawn political reactions, with the opposition highlighting the delay in registering a cognizable offence and the ruling side criticising the form of the protest. The case remains under investigation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 22, 2026 02:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).