It took 30 days and a seven-hour protest by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for an FIR to be registered over pellet injuries suffered by a 19-year-old student during the July 20 Jantar Matar protest, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said, coming down heavily on the Delhi police.
The delay was contrary to the Supreme Court's position that police must promptly register an FIR when a complaint discloses a cognisable offence, Chidambaram said.
In a post on X, the former Union minister congratulated the injured complainant, Sahil Lochav, for pursuing the matter and Rahul Gandhi for demonstrating what he described as the "power of satyagraha".
The FIR was eventually registered by the Delhi Police on Friday, after Gandhi staged a sit-in outside the Parliament Street police station seeking action on Lochav's complaint. The case has been filed under Sections 118 and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Lochav had alleged that he was injured in pellet gun firing at Connaught Place on July 20 and that the police initially failed to register his complaint. He said he subsequently underwent surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), but continued to suffer impaired vision.
Gandhi, who was accompanied by Congress leaders including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, had questioned how the incident could have occurred if, as claimed by the Delhi Police, its personnel had not fired pellet guns.
Referring to Lochav's medical records, Gandhi said an AIIMS report indicated that more than 200 pellets were lodged in the victim's body, including three in his eye. He also claimed that pellets were located near the victim's heart and could not be removed.
"Someone must have done it," Gandhi said, arguing that the injuries established that a crime had taken place and required investigation.
Lochav later thanked Gandhi for supporting his demand for an FIR, saying he believed the case may not have been registered without the Congress leader's intervention.
(With inputs from ANI)