New Delhi, August 21: Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi joined a sit-in protest outside the Parliament Street Police Station on Friday, demanding registration of an FIR over alleged police action against student protester Sahil Lochav during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on July 20.
Lochav, who was allegedly hit by pellets during the protest, accompanied Gandhi to the Delhi Police DCP office and later to the Parliament Street Police Station. Congress leaders and workers also gathered at the spot and raised slogans in support of the demand.In a post on X, Gandhi alleged that Lochav suffered pellet injuries and faces a risk to the vision in one eye. He accused the police of preventing the registration of an FIR and questioned Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged incident.
“Why are you so scared of justice?” Gandhi said, adding that the FIR would be registered and that a judicial inquiry should be conducted into the incident.
Several Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh, Salman Khurshid, Kumari Selja and Devendra Yadav, reached the protest site.
Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid said Gandhi would continue the protest until the FIR was registered.
According to Congress sources, Lochav had approached Delhi Police with his lawyers on August 14 and submitted a written complaint but was allegedly not given an I/O number or acknowledgement. The complaint was subsequently pursued through email and phone on August 17, the sources said.
Gandhi had earlier visited Mandir Marg Police Station and requested registration of a case. Following the alleged refusal, he met senior police officials at the DCP Central office before proceeding to Parliament Street Police Station.
The complainant has alleged that the incident amounts to a cognisable offence and sought registration of an FIR and action against those responsible.
On July 29, Gandhi had alleged that protesting students were subjected to pellet-gun fire and other forms of police action during the July 20 demonstration. He had cited an AIIMS medical certificate while claiming that one student was at risk of losing vision in an eye.
The Delhi Police’s response to the allegations was not included in the statements issued by Congress sources.