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Lochav said Gandhi contacted him to enquire about his health and acted after learning that his complaint had not been registered.
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Rahul Gandhi sits with 19-year-old pellet victim Sahil Lochab during a protest at the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi. (PTI photo)
Pellet gun shelling victim Sahil Lochav on Friday credited Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi with helping him get an FIR registered over the incident, alleging that police had failed to act on his complaint for days.
Lochav said Gandhi contacted him to enquire about his health and acted after learning that his complaint had not been registered.
“When I spoke to him recently, he called to ask about my health. I mentioned that my FIR wasn’t being registered. He immediately said, ‘Let’s meet tomorrow; I will go and get your FIR filed,’” Lochav told reporters.
“I want to thank him for helping me so much. This FIR is a first step towards justice,” he said.
‘Waiting for FIR since Aug 14’
Lochav claimed it took eight hours for the FIR to be registered and said he had been trying to get a case filed since August 14.
“Perhaps it wouldn’t have been registered at all if the LOP hadn’t supported me,” he said.
Lochav said pellet guns were fired at him on July 20, after which he was admitted to Delhi’s Lady Hardinge Hospital and later referred to AIIMS, where he underwent surgery.
“But the vision in my eye is still not clear,” he said.
He added that he had submitted a seven-page complaint through his lawyer on August 14, but the FIR was not registered at the time.
Lawyer Alleges Police ‘Passed The Buck’
Lochav’s lawyer alleged that they first approached the Connaught Place police station, where they were directed to the Parliament Street police station because the incident was linked to Jantar Mantar.
The lawyer said officials at Parliament Street then directed them back to Connaught Place, claiming the incident fell within its jurisdiction.
He alleged that the complaint was not accepted when they returned and that they were made to wait for a prolonged period.
The lawyer said they later approached the Crime Branch but were told complaints could not be submitted directly there.
Citing Lochav’s medico-legal case report from Lady Hardinge Hospital, the lawyer said it recorded “punctured wounds and blood oozing out”.
“This is a clear offence that has happened. We have an MLC copy of Lady Hardinge which says punctured wounds and blood oozing out,” he said, referring to the medical record.
(With inputs from ANI)
Key Questions Answered
Ask News18The registration of an FIR in the pellet gun case, after initial police inaction, has been described as a “first step of justice”, which could contribute to a wider conversation about police accountability in New Delhi.
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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, …Read More
August 22, 2026, 04:56 IST
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