'Look At This Pellet Carefully': Rahul Gandhi Refuses To Leave Delhi Police Station, Demands FIR

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday refused to leave Parliament Street police station until Delhi Police registered an FIR over the alleged use of pellet guns during the July 20 Jantar Mantar protest.

Speaking to reporters outside the police station, Gandhi cited medical reports of student Sahil Lochab and said more than 200 pellets were lodged in his body.

“Look at this pellet carefully. This is a pellet. Where did these pellets come from? They came from his body. Look at these pellets lodged in his body. There are more than 200 pellets in his body,” Gandhi said.

He said three pellets had struck Lochab’s eye, causing loss of vision, while others were lodged close to his heart.

“Delhi Police has said that they did not fire the pellets. So, there is only one question: If you did not fire them, then someone must have fired these pellets,” Gandhi said.

‘We Will Not Move Until FIR Is Registered’

Gandhi said the injuries warranted a criminal investigation and accused police of refusing to register the complaint.

“But a crime has taken place because there are pellets lodged in his body. We are only asking you to register an FIR. He is a citizen of India,” he said.

“We are being told from inside that an order has come from above and that the FIR cannot be registered. It is a simple matter. Until the FIR is registered, we will not move from here,” Gandhi added.

Gandhi had first gone to Mandir Marg police station with Lochab to seek an FIR against personnel allegedly responsible for the firing during the Cockroach Janta Party-led protest.

After no case was registered there, they went to the office of DCP New Delhi Sachin Sharma at Parliament Street.

Gandhi Cites Hospital Report

Outside the police station, Gandhi read from Lochab’s medico-legal report issued by Lady Hardinge Hospital after the July 20 protest.

“History of patient being hit by pellets near Jantar Mantar Delhi at about 3 pm. Multiple puncture wounds present on right side of face, limb…,” he read.

Gandhi then pointed to Lochab’s eye injuries and said: “He has three injuries to his eyes. He won’t be able to see. He has been blinded… We just want an FIR.”

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra later joined the sit-in. Party leaders Jairam Ramesh, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Kumari Selja also reached the DCP office.

Congress workers gathered outside the police station, raised slogans and sang patriotic songs.

BJP Calls Protest ‘Camera-Centric Drama’

Union Health Minister JP Nadda condemned Gandhi's action and said the Supreme Court had already taken cognisance of the July 20 incident and constituted a five-member high-powered committee headed by a former judge.

“When the country’s apex court is investigating the matter, what does Rahul Gandhi hope to prove by sitting in front of cameras outside the police station? Does the Leader of the Opposition lack faith in the country’s judiciary?” Nadda said.

“The truth is that Rahul Gandhi is staging this ‘camera-centric’ drama merely to keep himself in the headlines,” he added.

Nadda also alleged that Congress was trying to divert attention from criticism over the Vande Mataram controversy.

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad similarly accused Gandhi of doing “politics of anarchy”.

“The police have informed him that an FIR has already been registered on the incident he is quoting and it is being probed. The SC has formed a high-powered committee to probe into this. Rahul Gandhi, don’t you want to respect any law?” Prasad said.