Rahul Gandhi sits on dharna at police station in New Delhi, demands FIR over pellet gun use during July 20 protest

Rahul Gandhi sits on dharna at police station in New Delhi, demands FIR over pellet gun employ during July 20 protest The Delhi Police barricade the area and close gates of Parliament Street police station as Congress party workers and supporters attempt.

Key points

• Lochab to the DCP office on Friday (August 21, 2026) to press for action and seek registration of the case.
• Lochab had approached the Delhi Police along with his lawyers on August 14 and submitted a written complaint.
• Gandhi is accompanied by Sahil Lochab, a 19-year-old protester who was hit by a pellet gun during police action.
• Lochab first visited the Mandir Marg police station and sought the registration of the FIR.
• According to the complainant, the alleged incident constitutes a cognisable offence and warrants registration of an FIR.

Rahul Gandhi with Sahil Lochab, one of the victims of the documented apply of pellet guns during the July 20 protest, at a sit-in outside the Parliament Street Police Station on August 21, 2026. Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday (August 21, 2026) staged a dharna (sit-in) outside the Parliament Street Police Station in New Delhi, seeking the registration of an FIR over pellet injuries suffered by a youth during the July 20 Cockroach Janata Party-led protest over the NEET paper leak matter.

Mr. Gandhi is accompanied by Sahil Lochab, a 19-year-old protester who was hit by a pellet gun during police action. The Delhi Police have so far barricaded the area and closed the police station gates as Congress party workers and supporters attempted to enter, raising slogans.

Meanwhile, the Congress leader and Mr. Lochab first visited the Mandir Marg police station and sought the registration of the FIR. After the demand was not accepted, they went to the Parliament Street police station and met the deputy commissioner of police (DCP).

According to the Congress party, Mr. Lochab had approached the Delhi Police along with his lawyers on August 14 and submitted a written complaint. Nevertheless, the police allegedly did not provide an I/O number or acknowledgement. The complaint was again pursued on August 17 through email and phone, but no I/O number or acknowledgement was provided, they remarked.

In line with this, Mr. Gandhi accompanied Mr. Lochab to the DCP office on Friday (August 21, 2026) to press for action and seek registration of the case. "The DCP is again not giving the case officer and I/O number. As it's a cognisable offence, a FIR additionally has to be registered, but Delhi police not doing so, " the party stated.

Earlier on July 29, the Congress leader had addressed the media and remarked that protesting students were fired at with pellet guns and maintained that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was responsible for "brutality" against the protesters.

Taken together, the developments around rahul Gandhi sits on dharna at police station in New Delhi, demands point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.