Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Face Fresh FIRs Over Delhi Protest

Three fresh First Information Reports (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. The cases, filed on Thursday, October 8, 2026, stem from the INDIA bloc's protest in central Delhi on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, which aimed to challenge electoral roll revisions and demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, according to Delhi Police sources.

The latest allegations include assaulting and obstructing police personnel, damaging a police vehicle, and staging an unauthorised protest. These cases are distinct from earlier FIRs following the INDIA bloc's protest on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, which included charges of alleged forcible entry into Akashvani Bhavan. Police sources indicated that a constable, Ankit Kasana of the Parliament Police, alleged he was surrounded and assaulted by 30 to 35 protesters, including men and women, and had his uniform torn during Mr. Gandhi’s detention on October 7. Mr. Kasana was subsequently taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for a medical examination. Police also alleged protesters damaged a vehicle, smashing its windows, and Congress workers punctured the tyre of a bus transporting detained protesters.

On Wednesday, October 7, Mr. Gandhi, Ms. Vadra, and approximately 80 other leaders, including K.C. Venugopal, Pawan Khera, A.A. Rahim, and Sivadasan, were detained by Delhi police in the Jantar Mantar area. Mr. Gandhi was later moved to a police station on Barakhamba Road, where he remained in detention for several hours before being released. A senior police official noted a growing pattern of “competition” among organisations to make protests more dramatic and attract attention, often involving damage to public property.

Another INDIA bloc protest was conducted on Thursday, October 8, 2026, leading to heightened security and significant traffic restrictions across central Delhi.

Editor's note: The report accurately synthesizes all key facts from the provided text, including the specific allegations, the timeline of events, and the named police/political figures.