Rahul Gandhi Stages Dharna Over Student Pellet Gun Injury

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi staged a dharna on August 21, 2026, outside the Parliament Street Police Station and the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police in New Delhi. Gandhi demanded the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) for Sahil Lochab, a 19-year-old student allegedly injured by pellet guns during a July 20 protest against NEET paper leaks at Jantar Mantar.

Gandhi and the Indian National Congress allege that Delhi Police repeatedly refused to acknowledge written complaints submitted on August 14 and 17, claiming officials cited orders from the top. Gandhi accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of being responsible for the brutality and questioned why the minister was scared of justice. While the Delhi Police stated that a Supreme Court-constituted High-Powered Expert Committee is examining allegations of excessive force, Congress cited an AIIMS medical certificate and police records as evidence of pellet gun use.

The Bharatiya Janata Party condemned the protest as a symbol of political frustration and a distraction from the Congress party's stance on the national song Vande Mataram. BJP leaders characterized the action as the politics of anarchy and attention-seeking, while asserting that an FIR had already been registered regarding the July 20 incident.