‘Suffered 200 pellets, shot 5-6 times': What student protester backed by Rahul Gandhi said in FIR

A first information report (FIR) has been registered against unknown people following a complaint by 19-year-old Delhi University student Sahil Lochab, who alleged that he was hit by pellets during the July 20 student protests. The FIR was filed after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi joined Lochab and staged a protest outside the Parliament Street Police Station for more than six hours.

The FIR, registered at around 7pm on Friday, names no individuals and was filed under Sections 118 and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Section 118 deals with voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt using dangerous weapons or means, while Section 125 relates to acts that endanger the life or personal safety of others.

Also read | Delhi Police file FIR on pellet gun matter after Rahul Gandhi’s dharna over student’s complaint

“I joined the Jantar Mantar protest which was against the paper leak... I’m a student and I participated in the protest against the NEET paper leak and Delhi Police recruitment exam cheating. During the afternoon, there was a lathicharge and stampede-like situation. I, along with other youngsters, started running towards the Palika Bazar area. I had the national flag. There, police started lathicharge and threw tear gas shells causing the same stampede-like situation. All of a sudden, I felt something explode on the right side of my face, eye and chest. I turned around and saw a personnel in blue uniform with a big rifle. Because of him, I suffered many pellet injuries. I was shot 5-6 times with pellets. There was blood all over my eye, face, chest and hand. Someone made me sit on a bike and took me to LHMC. They sent me to Safdarjung who then referred me to AIIMS,” Lochab said in the FIR.

Also read | FIR for pellet injury during July 20 stir filed after Rahul Gandhi protests for over 6 hours

Lochab said he underwent his first eye surgery on July 22. He said doctors recorded the pellet injuries in his medical legal certificate (MLC) and that a CT scan showed around 200 pellets lodged in different parts of his body.

“On July 22, I underwent the first surgery for my eye. Doctors mentioned in my MLC about the pellet wounds... during my CT scan, I found I had suffered 200 pellets on my body, including my eye, neck, chest, jaw and hand. The pellets were in my right eye and couldn’t be taken out. They will be in my eye lifelong. Doctors said pellets are also lodged near my heart, and the treatment will go on for a long time,” he said.

He also said he underwent a second surgery on his right eye on August 1 and requested that CCTV and drone footage from the area be preserved.

“My only fault is that I’m a student and I was standing there peacefully and trying to voice my opinions. Because of this, I’ve lost my eye and my body is now filled with pellet wounds. I worked hard to get into the police force but I’ll never get that job now.