'Suffered 200 Pellets, Shot 5-6 Times': What Student Protest Backed by Rahul Gandhi Said in FIR

New Delhi: Delhi University student Sahil Lochab has alleged that he was shot several times with pellets during a student protest in the national capital on July 20, leaving him with serious injuries to his right eye and other parts of his body. His allegations were recorded in an FIR registered by Delhi Police after Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi staged a sit-in outside the Parliament Street police station on Friday. According to Lochab’s complaint, he was participating in a student demonstration over alleged irregularities in examinations when the situation turned tense. He said protesters faced a lathi-charge and tear gas as they moved towards Parliament. Lochab claimed he was carrying the national flag when he suddenly felt something strike the right side of his face, eye and chest.

In his statement to police, Lochab alleged that he turned around and saw a person wearing a blue uniform and carrying a large firearm. He claimed the person fired pellets at him, hitting him repeatedly. The student told police that he was shot five or six times and suffered bleeding injuries to his face, eye, chest and hand. Lochab has further alleged that medical examinations revealed a large number of pellets lodged in his body. According to his complaint, a CT scan showed around 200 pellets in different areas, including near his eye, neck, chest, jaw and hand. He said he underwent surgery on his right eye following the incident and later required another operation.

The student’s allegations have not yet established who fired the pellets. The FIR has been registered against unidentified persons, and the responsibility for the alleged shooting will have to be determined through the investigation. The case gained political attention after Rahul Gandhi accompanied Lochab and his family to the police station on August 21. Gandhi had demanded that the student's complaint be formally registered and questioned why an FIR had not been lodged earlier despite the seriousness of the alleged injuries.

After reaching the Parliament Street police station, Gandhi met senior police officials and later began a sit-in when the FIR was not immediately registered. The protest continued for several hours before Delhi Police registered a case against unidentified persons. The incident dates back to a student protest held on July 20. Students had gathered over grievances concerning alleged irregularities linked to recruitment and examination processes. The demonstration later turned into a confrontation with security personnel as protesters attempted to move towards Parliament.

Lochab's account has now put the alleged use of pellet guns during the protest under scrutiny. His description of seeing a person in a blue uniform carrying a firearm is also likely to be examined as investigators try to establish who was present at the location and what weapons were being used. The investigation will be crucial in determining whether the pellets found in Lochab’s body were fired during the protest, who fired them and under what circumstances. Police are expected to examine medical records, CCTV footage, videos recorded during the demonstration and deployment details of security personnel.

The FIR itself does not establish guilt. It formally records the allegations and allows investigators to examine the evidence and determine whether a criminal offence was committed. The episode has also raised concerns about his health and future. The student has reportedly suffered serious damage to his right eye and continues to receive medical treatment.

The case has meanwhile become another flashpoint between the Congress and the government over the handling of student protests. While Congress leaders have demanded accountability over Lochab’s injuries, the BJP has criticised Rahul Gandhi’s intervention and accused him of politicising the issue.

With the FIR now registered, attention is expected to shift towards the investigation and the evidence that can establish what happened during the July 20 protest. The key questions remain who fired the alleged pellets, whether security personnel were involved and whether the use of force followed prescribed procedures. Until the investigation is completed, the allegations made by Lochab in the FIR remain claims that must be verified through evidence and due legal process.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Hindustan Times.