The Congress leader demanded an independent probe, a public apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, alleging excessive force against students protesting examination irregularities.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the Centre of attempting to cover up the use of pellet guns during last week’s student protest in the national capital, presenting before the media a 19-year-old protester who sustained serious pellet injuries.
Addressing reporters alongside Sahil Lohchab, a final-year student of Delhi University’s School of Open Learning, Gandhi said the student’s injuries exposed what he described as the government’s “false narrative” that pellet guns were never used during the July 20 crackdown on protesters.
Sahil bore visible pellet wounds on his face, arms and torso. During the press conference, Gandhi lifted the student’s T-shirt to reveal multiple pellet marks, asserting that the injuries contradicted repeated official claims denying the use of pellet ammunition.
“The government must stop lying. They have fired guns at the future of India,” Gandhi said, accusing the administration of using excessive force against students demanding accountability over alleged examination paper leaks.
The Delhi Police and the Centre have consistently denied deploying pellet guns during the protest, maintaining that only standard crowd-control measures were employed. However, several injured protesters have since produced hospital records indicating pellet-related injuries, prompting fresh questions over the police action.
A resident of Najafgarh, Sahil had been preparing for the Delhi Police head-constable recruitment examination and had also appeared for the Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (SSC CGL) examination. To support his family, he worked as a driver alongside his father while pursuing his studies.
VIDEO | Delhi: Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi says, “…The government has claimed that no pellet guns were used, but look at this, this is what a pellet gun does. This person has suffered an eye injury and has lost vision in one eye. These young people are the… pic.twitter.com/bUMZUfJNzK
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 24, 2026
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According to his mother, Jyoti, pellets struck Sahil’s right eye and upper body during the violence. He underwent surgery at the AIIMS Trauma Centre on Tuesday and has since lost vision in his injured eye, with doctors yet to determine whether the damage is permanent.
Placing his hand on Sahil’s shoulder, Gandhi said the student was carrying the national flag when he was struck. He alleged that thousands of young protesters seeking justice over alleged examination irregularities were subjected to baton charges and other forms of force.
Calling the incident an assault on the aspirations of India’s youth, Gandhi demanded an independent investigation into the police action, an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the injured students and their families, and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, whom he held responsible for repeated failures in the country’s examination system.
