Rahul Gandhi dharna in Delhi LIVE: Congress leader demands FIR over pellet gun use in student protest

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Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, along with pellet gun victim Sahil, sit on protest inside the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi on August 21. | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday (August 21, 2026) sat on a dharna at the Parliament Street police station in Delhi seeking the registration of an FIR over pellet injuries suffered by a youth during the CJP-led July 20 protest and said “brutality” against a peaceful protest is a “serious crime”.

Also read | 19-year-old may lose vision in right eye due to pellet injury, says family

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said neither Union Home Minister Amit Shah has offered an explanation on the use of pellet guns at the protest, nor has Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologised.

Mr. Gandhi, accompanied by the pellet victim, 19-year-old Sahil Lochab, first visited the Mandir Marg police station and sought the registration of the FIR. After his demand was not accepted, he went to the Parliament Street police station and met Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Sachin Sharma. After the discussion with Mr. Sharma failed to yield results, the Congress leader, along with Mr. Lochab, sat on a dharna at the police station, which also houses the DCP office.

Trinamool Congress joint secretary Derek O’Brien accused the ruling BJP of trying to “cover up” the issue of pellet guns being used on protesting students in Delhi on July 20.

The remarks came as Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi sat on a dharna at the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi and said he would not budge until an FIR is registered on a complaint by a youth who suffered pellet injuries during the Cockroach Janta Party-led July 20 protest.

“Pellets. On August 10, an RTI filed by TMC’s Saket Gokhale first revealed the truth about the pellet criminal conspiracy. Modi-Shah’s beleaguered government still in cover-up mode,” Mr. O’Brien said. - PTI

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Friday (August 21, 2026) slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over protest at Parliament Street Police Station, saying the Supreme Court has has constituted a five-member high-powered committee headed by a former judge to probe the July 20 incident in the national capital and alleged that the Congress leader was indulging in “camera-centric drama merely to keep himself in the headlines”.

Mr. Nadda alleged that Mr. Gandhi had indulged in “cheap, attention-seeking politics” outside the Sansad Marg police station.

The Supreme Court on Thursday (July 30, 2026) said the use of pellet guns by the police in “exceptional circumstances” was part of a graded approach to break civilian protests.

The court, however, did not expand on which “exceptional circumstances” justified the use of pellet guns, nor did it ask the Union government for an explanation during the hearing.

Congress asserted that the dharna would continue till an FIR is registered by Delhi Police over pellet injuries suffered by a youth, 19-year-old Sahil Lochab, during the CJP-led July 20 protest.