Delhi Police detained Ankita Bhandari’s parents and other protesters during a pre-dawn crackdown at India GateThe protesters are demanding a thorough CBI probe into the alleged VIP angle in the 2022 murder case and a halt to Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim Governor.
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Ankita Bhandari murder: Parents released after 4am detention at India Gate, Congress says ‘this is brutality'(Image: PTI)
Delhi Police detained the parents of Ankita Bhandari, Congress leaders and several other protesters during a pre-dawn crackdown at India Gate on ThursdayThe protesters had spent the night demanding justice for the 19-year-old Uttarakhand woman who was murdered in 2022The police action took place around 4 am, bringing the protest to an abrupt endAll those detained were later releasedCongress leaders alleged that the police manhandled protesters who were seeking a fair investigation into the case.
The incident came hours after Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited the protest site on Wednesday to meet Ankita’s parents and support their demand for justice.
The protesters want the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim Governor to be put on hold until the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completes its investigation into the alleged VIP angle in Ankita’s murder.
Congress slams police action
Police personnel, accompanied by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) staff, reached the protest site before dawn and removed the demonstratorsCongress leaders Supriya Shrinate, Uday Bhanu Chib, Vinod Jakhar and Varun Chaudhary were among those detained.
Congress leaders Supriya Shrinate, Pawan Khera and Kazi Nizamuddin criticised the police action, accusing the authorities of targeting people demanding justice for Ankita and questioning Gautam’s appointment as Governor.
Pawan Khera strongly criticised the crackdown, saying the action raised serious questions about the state of democracy in the country.
“This is brutalityYou can see democracy coming to an end at India GateIt is ending at 4 am,” he said.
Khera also questioned why Ankita’s parents had been detained while the demand for an investigation into the alleged VIP connection remained unresolvedHe argued that the family was being removed from the protest site even as it continued to seek answers about the circumstances surrounding Ankita’s death.
The Congress leaders maintained that the protesters were seeking accountability and a complete investigation into the case.
Why are Ankita Bhandari’s parents protesting?
The protest was organised by Ankita’s family and activists who want the alleged VIP angle in her murder to be investigated thoroughly.
The family has named Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the alleged VIP and demanded that his appointment as Sikkim Governor be put on hold until the CBI completes its inquiryThese are allegations raised by the family, and they should not be treated as established findings.
On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met Ankita’s parents at India Gate and expressed support for their demand.
Ankita’s father, Virendra Singh Bhandari, appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to wait until the investigation was completed before proceeding with Gautam’s appointment.
He said the family wanted the alleged VIP connection to be examined properly and those found responsible to be held accountable.
According to reports, the family has also warned that it will continue its protest if its demands are not addressed.
About Ankita Bhandari murder case
Ankita Bhandari was 19 years old and worked as a receptionist at Vanantra Resort near Rishikesh in UttarakhandShe was murdered in September 2022, and her body was recovered from the Chilla canal.
The case drew widespread attention, with allegations that Ankita had been pressured to provide special services to a VIP and that she was killed after refusingThe alleged VIP angle has remained a key issue raised by her family and activists.
Resort owner Pulkit Arya, the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two resort employees, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were arrested in connection with the murder.
On May 30, 2025, a court in Kotdwar sentenced all three men to life imprisonment for Ankita’s murder and related offences, including the destruction of evidence.
However, her family has continued to demand a thorough investigation into the alleged VIP connection, saying it wants clarity on whether others were involved in the case.
