Seeking justice in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, her parents held an overnight sit-in protest at India Gate in Delhi. The family is demanding that Dushyant Gautam’s appointment as the Governor of Sikkim be halted.
अंकिता भंडारी हत्याकांड में संदिग्ध भाजपा नेता दुष्यंत को राज्यपाल बनाने का विरोध, अंकिता के परिवार को हिरासत में लेने के बाद पुलिस ने छोड़ा
Headlines…
- Ankita Bhandari’s parents staged a sit-in protest demanding justice for their daughter and seeking to halt the appointment of Dushyant Gautam as a Governor.
- Between 3:45 AM and 4:00 AM, the Delhi Police, in coordination with the CRPF, took Ankita’s parents, Congress leaders, and other protesters into custody. They were subsequently released.
- Ankita’s father, Virendra Singh Bhandari, stated that the struggle for justice for his daughter would continue, and that protests would be organized across the country if necessary.
- The family has requested President Droupadi Murmu to stay the appointment of Dushyant Gautam. They want the appointment to be put on hold until the investigation into questions surrounding the case is completed.
In the high-profile Ankita Bhandari murder case from Uttarakhand, Ankita’s parents and several Congress leaders—who were protesting at India Gate in Delhi to demand justice—were taken into custody by the police early Thursday morning. The family is opposing the appointment of Dushyant Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim.
The protesters are demanding that his appointment be stayed until the investigation into the alleged involvement of a ‘VIP’—a matter that has raised several questions—is concluded. Ankita’s parents were released approximately two hours after being taken into custody.
Protesters taken into custody by police in the early hours
Ankita’s family had begun a sit-in protest at India Gate on Wednesday. Following an overnight demonstration, the Delhi Police, along with the CRPF, took Ankita’s parents, Congress leaders, and other protesters into custody between 3:45 AM and 4:00 AM on Thursday. They were taken to the Tilak Marg police station.
Criticizing the police action, Congress leaders alleged that those seeking justice were detained and that Ankita’s parents were subjected to mistreatment. Congress leaders Supriya Shrinate, Pawan Khera, and Qazi Nizamuddin also questioned the action taken. Later, those who had been detained—including Ankita’s parents—were released.
‘If justice is not served, there will be a nationwide protest’
Following his detention, Ankita’s father, Virendra Singh Bhandari, stated that the struggle would continue until his daughter receives justice. He warned that if justice is not delivered, the family and their supporters will take to the streets across the country to protest.
The family’s primary demand is to halt the appointment of Dushyant Gautam as a Governor. Virendra Singh Bhandari argues that this appointment should not proceed until the investigation into the questions surrounding the case is complete. The family maintains that it would be inappropriate to move forward with such a constitutional appointment while the investigation is still ongoing.
Appeal to President Droupadi Murmu
Ankita’s parents have requested President Droupadi Murmu to intervene in the matter and stay the appointment of Dushyant Gautam. The family wants the appointment to be put on hold until the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completes its probe.
During the protest, Ankita’s mother, Soni Devi, became emotional.
She appealed to the President to understand the family’s pain and take steps to ensure justice for her daughter. The family asserts that their fight for justice will continue until all questions related to the case are answered.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi meet the family
Late Wednesday evening, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi arrived at India Gate and met with Ankita’s parents. Both leaders assured the family of their support in the fight for justice.
Subsequently, Rahul Gandhi posted on the social media platform ‘X’, alleging that even nearly four years after the incident, Ankita’s family has yet to receive justice. The Congress party also supported the family’s demands and raised questions regarding the police’s handling of the case.
What is the Ankita Bhandari murder case?
Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-old who worked as a receptionist at the Vantara Resort near Rishikesh, was murdered in September 2022. In this case, the court convicted the resort owner, Pulkit Arya, and two of his employees, sentencing all three to life imprisonment.
Questions have also been raised from time to time regarding the alleged involvement of a ‘VIP’ in this case. Ankita’s family alleges that Dushyant Gautam is linked to the questions being raised in this regard. Dushyant Gautam was the BJP’s in-charge for Uttarakhand in September 2022, and the family is opposing his potential appointment as a Governor.
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