Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Nov 5: The parents of Ankita Bhandari, the 19-year-old woman who was murdered at a resort in Uttarakhand in September 2022, were removed by Delhi Police from Rajghat on Wednesday, November 4, after they staged a sit-in protest demanding justice for their daughter.
According to police sources, Ankita's parents, Virendra Singh Bhandari and Soni Devi, visited Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, to offer prayers and interact with the media. They subsequently staged a dharna along with two others near the public entrance of the memorial.
Police officials reportedly asked the group several times to disperse, explaining that the location was not a designated site for protests. However, when they refused to leave, police personnel removed them from the spot. Police sources maintained that the protesters were not detained.
During the incident, Ankita's mother, Soni Devi, reportedly experienced health complications and was taken to Burari Government Hospital for a medico-legal examination. However, according to a PTI report, both parents declined the medical examination. AAP MLA from Burari, Sanjeev Jha, and his supporters also reached the hospital, following which the family left with the legislator. Some other media reports said Soni Devi fainted during the police action.
The latest protest comes nearly a fortnight after Ankita's parents were detained by Delhi Police during a demonstration near India Gate on October 14. They were protesting against the appointment of senior BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim.
The family has demanded that Gautam's appointment be put on hold until the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completes its investigation into the alleged VIP angle in Ankita's murder. They have alleged that an influential individual was connected to the circumstances surrounding their daughter's death and have called for a thorough investigation.
The October 14 protest received political attention after Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the grieving parents at India Gate and expressed solidarity with their demand for justice. Several other Congress leaders and social activists also extended support to the family.
Ankita Bhandari was working as a receptionist at Vanantra Resort in the Rishikesh region of Uttarakhand when she went missing on September 18, 2022. Her body was recovered from the Chilla canal four days later, triggering widespread outrage across the state.
Resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and his two accomplices were convicted in the murder case and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, allegations concerning the involvement of an influential VIP have continued to remain a major point of contention.
The CBI took up the investigation into the case in 2026 following a recommendation by the Uttarakhand government. Ankita's family has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction over the handling of the alleged VIP angle and sought a comprehensive investigation.
Gautam, who was appointed Sikkim Governor on October 12, has denied the allegations linking him to the case and initiated defamation proceedings against those making the accusations. He has not been named as an accused in the murder case.
The family has maintained that its fight for justice will continue until all unanswered questions surrounding Ankita's death are addressed.