Pellet-gun victim Sahil Lochav: vision unclear after AIIMS surgery, FIR still not filed
Synopsis
A pellet-gun victim's fight for an FIR has turned into a political flashpoint. Sahil Lochav says his eyesight is still damaged weeks after AIIMS surgery, and that police have refused to register his complaint — bouncing him between two stations before stamping it only after Rahul Gandhi showed up to protest in person.
Key Takeaways
Sahil Lochav alleges he was hit by pellet-gun fire on 20 July during a protest at Jantar Mantar , New Delhi.
He underwent surgery at AIIMS after initial treatment at Lady Hardinge Hospital ; vision in his eye remains unclear.
A seven-page complaint was submitted on 14 August , but police have not registered an FIR as of 21 August .
Lawyers allege the SHO said he had 'received orders from above' not to take up the case.
Rahul Gandhi , Priyanka Gandhi Vadra , and Kumari Selja held a sit-in at Parliament Street Police Station in protest.
The complaint was stamped after Gandhi's arrival, but an FIR remains unregistered.
Pellet-gun victim Sahil Lochav said on Friday, 21 August that his vision remains unclear even after undergoing surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), weeks after he was allegedly shot during a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Lochav further alleged that police have refused to register a First Information Report (FIR) despite a formal complaint submitted on 14 August.
What Lochav Said
Speaking to reporters, Lochav recounted that the alleged incident occurred on 20 July, when he claims pellet guns were fired at him during demonstrations demanding education reforms at Jantar Mantar. He was initially admitted to Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital, from where he was referred to AIIMS for surgery.
'On July 20, pellet guns were fired at me. I was admitted to Lady Hardinge, and from there, I was referred to AIIMS. I underwent surgery at AIIMS, but the vision in my eye is still not clear. On August 14, I wrote a seven-page complaint and gave it to my lawyer, but the FIR has not been registered,' Lochav said.
The FIR Deadlock
Lochav's lawyer alleged that police at both Connaught Place Police Station and Parliament Street Police Station shuttled them back and forth without accepting the complaint. According to the lawyer, officers at Connaught Place directed them to Parliament Street, saying all Jantar Mantar cases had been transferred there — but Parliament Street then insisted the incident fell under Connaught Place's jurisdiction.
'The SHO spoke to me personally on the phone and told me that they would not take up the case and that they had received orders from above,' the lawyer alleged. She added that they subsequently approached the DCP Crime Branch, only to be told that complaints do not reach that office directly.
The lawyer noted that after Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi arrived at the Parliament Street Police Station to protest, the complaint was stamped — but an FIR had still not been registered. Medical documentation from Lady Hardinge, including an MLC copy citing 'punctured wounds and blood oozing out', has been cited as key evidence.
Political Response at Parliament Street
Rahul Gandhi continued a sit-in outside the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police at Parliament Street Police Station on Friday, protesting the alleged refusal to register an FIR. Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Kumari Selja also joined the dharna in a show of solidarity.
The Indian National Congress (INC) has alleged that Lochav was injured during protests demanding education reforms, and has accused the police of stonewalling due process by denying the victim access to the first step of legal remedy.
What Happens Next
With the complaint now stamped but no FIR registered, legal options including approaching a magistrate under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure remain available to the complainant. The case is drawing wider attention to the use of pellet guns in crowd-control situations and the accessibility of FIR registration for ordinary citizens. The Delhi Police has not issued a public statement on the allegations as of the time of reporting.
Point of View
The right to access justice is effectively nullified before it begins. That a seven-page complaint with medical documentation required a Leader of the Opposition's physical presence to even get stamped is not a procedural anomaly — it is a pattern. Delhi Police's silence on the 'orders from above' allegation is conspicuous, and the use of pellet guns in civilian protest settings continues to escape the policy scrutiny it warrants. The political optics of Congress leaders staging a dharna may dominate coverage, but the underlying question — why a documented injury cannot trigger an FIR — deserves equal scrutiny independent of the politics around it.
NationPress
21 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sahil Lochav and what happened to him?
Sahil Lochav is a man who alleges he was injured by pellet-gun fire on 20 July during protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi demanding education reforms. He underwent surgery at AIIMS after initial treatment at Lady Hardinge Hospital, but says his vision remains unclear.
Why has no FIR been registered in the Sahil Lochav case?
Lochav's lawyer alleges police at Connaught Place and Parliament Street stations redirected them to each other without accepting the complaint. The lawyer further alleged that the SHO said he had 'received orders from above' not to take up the case. Delhi Police has not publicly responded to these allegations.
What role did Rahul Gandhi play in this case?
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi staged a sit-in outside the Deputy Commissioner of Police's office at Parliament Street Police Station on 21 August to protest the alleged refusal to register an FIR. Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Kumari Selja also joined the demonstration. After Gandhi's arrival, the complaint was reportedly stamped, though no FIR was registered.
What medical evidence exists in the Sahil Lochav case?
Lochav's lawyer cited an MLC (Medico-Legal Certificate) copy from Lady Hardinge Hospital that reportedly mentions 'punctured wounds and blood oozing out.' This document, along with the seven-page complaint submitted on 14 August, forms the basis of the FIR request.
What legal options does Lochav have if police refuse to register an FIR?
If police continue to refuse, Lochav can approach a magistrate under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which empowers a magistrate to direct the police to register an FIR and investigate. This route bypasses the police station entirely.
