Rahul Gandhi: Police Used Pellets on Protesting Students

NEW DELHI-Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on July 24 accused the Centre of “speaking lies” over the alleged use of pellet guns on students protesting under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar.

Appearing before the media with Sahil, a pellet gun victim, Rahul Gandhi said the 19-year-old suffered grievous injuries during the police crackdown on the CJP’s ‘Chalo Sansad’ march on July 20. Showing Sahil’s injuries to reporters, he said they were “visual proof” that pellet guns had been used against protesting students and demanded that the Centre come clean on the allegations instead of denying them.

“The government has been denying that pellets were fired. But here is the proof,” the Congress MP said while pointing to pellet injuries on Sahil’s face, right arm and upper body.

“Pellets hit my brother while he was waving the national flag. He cannot see from his right eye as pellets have hit it. There is uncertainty over whether he will regain his vision,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters.

The alleged use of pellet guns, reportedly by personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), has sparked controversy and raised questions over the handling of the protest. The force is understood to have initiated a verification exercise into the allegations. (IANS)