Rahul Gandhi staged a more than seven-hour sit-in outside a Delhi police station demanding an FIR over alleged pellet-gun firing during a student protest. Delhi Police later registered an FIR against unknown persons following the protest…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi staged a more than seven-hour sit-in outside a Delhi police station on Friday, demanding the registration of an FIR over the alleged firing of pellet guns during a student protest at Jantar Mantar last month.
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha visited the Parliament Street Police Station, accompanied by Congress leaders and Sahil Lochab, a student whom the party says suffered pellet-gun injuries during the 20 July protest.
The Congress has accused Delhi Police of using excessive force against students who were demonstrating over education reforms and has demanded an investigation into the alleged use of pellet guns.
According to Congress, Lochab and his lawyers submitted a written complaint to Delhi Police on 14 August but were not given an investigation officer number or acknowledgement. The party said the complaint was followed up by email and telephone on 17 August, but no case details were provided.
Gandhi first went to Mandir Marg Police Station to meet a Deputy Commissioner of Police before travelling to Parliament Street Police Station, which has jurisdiction over Jantar Mantar.
Congress said Gandhi asked why a case had not been registered over the alleged pellet-gun firing and sought information about who authorised the lathi-charge and use of pellet guns.
The protest continued outside the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police at Parliament Street. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra later joined Gandhi, along with several other party leaders.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said the party was seeking a separate FIR concerning the alleged police action against Lochab.
“His (Lochab’s) lawyer has demanded the registration of an FIR. This is not some general FIR but rather a strictly defined one, concerning the illegal manner in which police action took place (against Sahil), where pellet guns were used.”
He said the protest would continue until the requested FIR was registered.
“Rahul ji is absolutely clear: Until an FIR is registered, and a new FIR registration number is given, we will not leave from here,” Ramesh said.
He acknowledged that a general FIR had already been registered in connection with complaints about police action during the 20 July Parliament march, but said Lochab was seeking a separate FIR relating to his alleged injuries.
Congress leaders including Kishori Lal Sharma and Mukul Wasnik also supported the protest. Sharma questioned why an FIR had not been registered, while Wasnik said the party would continue its campaign until there was clarity over who ordered the alleged firing.
The Congress has repeatedly raised the issue of police action during student protests and has linked the matter to wider concerns about the treatment of young people demonstrating over education issues.
The dispute came a day before Gandhi was due to address the third edition of the Congress’s ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ campaign in Pune on 22 August.
Later on Friday, Delhi Police registered an FIR against unknown persons on the complaint attributed to Lochab, following Gandhi’s sit-in.
Congress leaders described the development as a victory and said the registration of the FIR would provide the basis for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged injuries.
Congress leader Salman Khurshid said: “The registration of an FIR means that the investigation, the probe into the incident where a young man was injured by pellets striking his eyes and body, will now commence. It establishes who bears the responsibility, who is being accused, and who must answer for it. Until now, there was no FIR, so there was no basis for an investigation; today, that basis has been established.”
Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi called the FIR a “massive victory” for the students, while other party leaders said the development followed pressure generated by Gandhi’s protest.
The FIR means the allegations surrounding the incident can now be investigated by police. The Congress has maintained that those responsible for the alleged use of pellet guns should be identified and held accountable.
