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The case of Sahil Lochab, who was seriously injured during the farmers’ agitation and demonstrations in Haryana, has once again come into the limelight. This whole incident has taken a big political and social turn after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached the police station and sat on a dharna in support of Sahil and his family. Sahil Lochab has become the face of that pain and struggle, the echo of which is now being heard from Parliament to the streets.
Who is Sahil Lochab?
Sahil Lochab is a young man coming from an ordinary farmer family of Rohtak-Jind region of Haryana. He has been actively involved in the farmers’ movement and the ongoing protests demanding various demands of farmers, including legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Sahil was seriously injured during the clash between security forces and protesting farmers at Shambhu and Khanauri border during February-March 2024. Sahil was directly hit by pellet guns and rubber bullets fired by the security forces to control the crowd at the protest site.
More than 200 shrapnel in the body and severe damage to the eyesight
After examination and first aid in the hospital, doctors found that more than 200 pellets were embedded in Sahil’s face, chest, neck and head. The worst impact was on his eyes, where he lost about 99% of the vision in one eye due to shrapnel and the other eye was also seriously affected.
Sahil was treated for a long time in PGIMS Rohtak and later in higher medical institutions in Delhi. Despite several operations, it was not possible to completely remove all the pellets due to the body being extremely sensitive and close to the nerves. Even today Sahil is forced to live with unbearable physical pain and partial blindness.
The whole reason behind Rahul Gandhi’s sit in protest in the police station
The entire issue gained momentum when the victim’s family and local farmer leaders accused the police and administration of being lax in the case, not registering a proper FIR and not taking action against the guilty officers for using excessive force on the protesters.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who came to meet the victim Sahil Lochab, expressed strong objection to this attitude of the administration. Rahul Gandhi reached the local police station along with Congress leaders and joined the dharna sitting on the ground, demanding justice for the family, ensuring a fair investigation against the culprits and providing proper compensation and living assistance to the injured Sahil.
Questions raised at political and administrative level
After this step of Rahul Gandhi, the opposition parties surrounded the Central and State Government and raised questions as to why this level of lethal force was used on the youth who were protesting peacefully in a democratic country. Human rights organizations have also raised questions on the use of pellet guns against protesters.
On the other hand, administrative and police sources say that limited force was used as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to maintain law and order and prevent breaking of barricades and the police is not biased in any kind of legal process.
Sahil’s family in hope of justice
Sahil Lochab’s family says that their son was not a criminal but a young man who went to raise his voice for his rights. The family demands that not just assurance, but permanent financial security for Sahil’s future, better medical assistance and accountability should be fixed on the culprits.