Police register FIR on pellet gun use at Delhi protest after Rahul Gandhi's dharna, raising governance and rights questions

The Hindu - News · 22 Aug 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Polity Mains · GS2 Governance High relevance

Delhi Police registered an FIR under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 118(1) and 125 after Rahul Gandhi's dharna, acknowledging pellet gun use during July 20 protests that injured a 19-year-old student, highlighting issues of police accountability and protest rights.

Key points

FIR registration occurred after a 7-hour dharna by Rahul Gandhi outside the DCP office, marking official acknowledgment of pellet gun use during the July 20 Parliament march protest.

Sahil Lochab, a 19-year-old DU student, suffered permanent vision loss in one eye and has over 200 pellets embedded in his body, with medical reports confirming less than 1% chance of vision recovery.

Legal basis: The FIR invokes Sections 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapons) and 125 (endangering life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, replacing equivalent IPC sections.

[GS2-Governance] The month-long delay in FIR registration despite multiple police station visits raises serious questions about police responsiveness and political interference in law enforcement.

Supreme Court intervention: A 5-member High-Powered Enquiry Committee headed by a former SC judge will examine police use of pellet guns, lathis, and tear gas during the protest.

[GS3-Security] The Rapid Action Force's (RAF) use of pellet guns contradicts initial police denials, with records showing 7 pellet rounds fired, 5 hitting protesters, questioning crowd control protocols.

Federalism angle: Rahul Gandhi's allegation that Home Ministry approval was needed for FIR registration highlights central oversight over Delhi Police through the Lieutenant Governor.

Judicial precedent: This connects to landmark cases like Prakash Singh v. Union of India (2006) on police reforms and Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India (2020) on proportionality in protest policing.

Way Forward: India should establish clear national guidelines on proportionate force in protests, mandate body cameras for riot police, create independent police complaint authorities in all states, and implement the Supreme Court's 2006 police reforms in letter and spirit.

Key terms

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita

The new criminal code replacing the Indian Penal Code, effective from July 2024. Section 118(1) deals with grievous hurt using dangerous weapons while Section 125 covers acts endangering life. Its UPSC relevance lies in understanding India's evolving criminal justice system reforms.

Rapid Action Force (RAF)

A specialized wing of the CRPF established in 1992 for crowd control during riots. Its deployment protocols and use of pellet guns raise GS3 security questions about balancing public order maintenance with human rights protections.

High-Powered Enquiry Committee

An investigative body constituted by the Supreme Court under Article 32 jurisdiction to examine alleged rights violations. Such committees serve as important accountability mechanisms in governance (GS2), with findings admissible as evidence.

Right to Protest

A fundamental right derived from Article 19(1)(a) (free speech) and Article 19(1)(b) (peaceful assembly) of the Constitution, subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2) and 19(3). The UPSC relevance lies in balancing this right with public order under GS2 Polity.