New Delhi: The Delhi Police has registered a First Information Report (FIR) in the pellet gun injury case following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's sit-in protest on Friday at the Parliament Street police station here, sources said.
Rahul Gandhi held the dharna in connection with pellet injuries suffered by 19-year-old Sahil Lochab during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest on July 20.
"We have registered an FIR under Sections 118 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 25 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the BNS," the officer said.
With the registration of the FIR, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha (LoP) ended his over-six-hour dharna at the police station.
"This is the first step towards justice and a case has been registered," Gandhi said, soon after the Delhi Police registered the FIR.
"There are pellets in his body and he cannot even see as he has suffered injuries in his eye. This is injustice with this youngster. For almost a month, he has been calling for the registration of an FIR and moving from one police station to another", Gandhi said.
"After hours of protest, an FIR has been registered. One can imagine what the people of the country suffer when they seek justice. There are several rape victims and victims of intimidation and they continue to fight while seeking justice," the Lok Sabha LoP said.
Gandhi also targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying that he was afraid of justice.
Gandhi, who had earlier alleged that police are "under pressure from the top" for not registering a complaint, claimed that the FIR was lodged only after clearance from top authorities in the home ministry.
"The final FIR has been registered after an okay from the home secretary and (Home Minister) Amit Shah, then you can imagine who was stopping the registration of an FIR as these cops wanted to do so but were not allowed to do so," he said.
Gandhi, along with Lochab, first visited the Mandir Marg police station and sought the registration of the FIR. After his demand was not accepted, he went to the Parliament Street police station and met Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi district) Sachin Sharma.
After the discussion with Sharma failed to yield results, the Congress leader sat on a dharna at the police station, which also houses the DCP's office. Lochab and his mother were also there.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior party leaders also joined the protest.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh too said that the party demanded an FIR against the alleged use of pellet guns on July 20.
"Our demand is simple - register an FIR and give us the FIR number", Ramesh said.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)