Three fresh FIRs filed against Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi for assaulting policemen, vandalizing police vehicles, unauthorized protest

Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi with Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during an India Block protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on October 7 | Photo credit: ANI

Three new FIRs have been registered against Congress leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in connection with the INDIA Bloc protest in central Delhi on Wednesday (October 7, 2026) against the revision of electoral rolls and demanding the removal of Chief Gyanesh Kumar from the Election Commission on Thursday (Election Commission DelhiO, DelhiO, police sources on Thursday 8, 2026).

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The latest cases relate to allegations of assaulting and obstructing police personnel deployed during the protest, damaging a police vehicle and staging an unauthorized protest, a police source close to the matter told The Hindu.

The FIRs are separate from the cases registered after the INDIA Bloc protest on Tuesday (October 6, 2026). Police had earlier charged opposition leaders in connection with a previous demonstration, including forcible entry (or criminal trespass) into Akashvani Bhavan.

The fresh cases were registered after a police constable deployed for crowd control claimed he was surrounded and assaulted by protesters during a demonstration on Wednesday (October 7, 2026).

A constable, identified as Ankit Kasana and posted to the Parliamentary Police, claimed he was surrounded by a group of about 30 to 35 protesters, including men and women, as police tried to control the crowd during Mr Gandhi’s detention. He claimed that the protesters tore his uniform and assaulted him.

Mr. Kasana was subsequently taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for medical examination.

“The FIR was filed following the statement of the personnel who were assaulted during the protest,” a police official said.

Police claimed that protesters damaged a police vehicle and smashed its windows during a demonstration on Wednesday (October 7, 2026), while Congress workers punctured the tire of a bus carrying detained protesters.

On Wednesday (October 7, 2026), Mr Gandhi, Ms Vadra and about 80 other leaders were detained by the Delhi Police after protesters gathered in the Jantar Mantar area. The police herded the protesters into buses and drove them away.

Congress workers reportedly punctured the tire of one of the buses used to transport the protesters. Videos of the incident went viral on social media. Mr. Gandhi was subsequently transferred to another bus and taken to the Barakhamba Road police station, where he remained in custody for several hours before being released.

INDIA bloc leaders KC Venugopal, Pawan Khera, AA Rahim and Sivadasan were among those detained along with the Gandhis.

A senior police official said the force had seen a growing pattern of “competition” between protest organisations, with groups increasingly trying to dramatize their demonstrations and attract more attention. “Now there is a competition between different organizations to organize protests to be more dramatic and damage public property to get more attention,” the official said.

Another INDIA Bloc protest took place on Thursday (October 8, 2026), prompting the Delhi Police to beef up security in central Delhi. These back-to-back protests resulted in heavy traffic restrictions and an increased police presence in the heart of the capital.

Published – 8 Oct 2026 11:18 IST