The protest by Ankita Bhandari’s parents at India Gate intensified on Wednesday after Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met the family and expressed his support amid a renewed political dispute over the case.
Rahul Gandhi reached India Gate in the evening and met Ankita’s parents, who have been demanding action in connection with allegations surrounding a suspected ‘VIP’ role in the 2022 murder case. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also present during the meeting. Rahul Gandhi waved the national flag before leaving with Priyanka Gandhi for his residence, according to Live Hindustan – NCR.
The protest has been organised against the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Gautam as governor of Sikkim. Ankita’s parents have sought an investigation into allegations that Gautam could be the person referred to as the alleged ‘VIP’ in connection with the case. The report attributes this demand to the family and Congress leaders; it does not establish the allegation as fact.
During the interaction at India Gate, Ankita’s father, Virendra Singh Bhandari, demanded that Dushyant Gautam be sent to jail. He also appealed to the President to reconsider the governor’s appointment until the Central Bureau of Investigation completes its inquiry. Congress leaders have similarly opposed the appointment and called for it to be reviewed.
Uttarakhand Congress president Ganesh Godiyal had led party office-bearers and workers in a demonstration at Dehradun’s Gandhi Park on Tuesday. Congress leaders described the governor appointment as an attempt to provide constitutional protection and prevent an investigation or legal proceedings. These statements are political allegations and were reported as claims made by the Congress leadership.
The India Gate protest was expected to continue through the night, with Congress workers gathering at the site and mattresses being brought in for those planning to stay. The immediate public issue is taking place in a prominent central Delhi location, where the demonstration brings a Uttarakhand criminal case and demands for institutional accountability into the national capital’s public space.
Ankita Bhandari, 19, worked as a receptionist at Vanantara Resort near Rishikesh. She was killed on 18 September 2022, and her body was recovered from the Cheela canal four days later. Resort owner Pulkit Arya and employees Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta were convicted in the case and sentenced to life imprisonment, according to the report.
The latest protest follows the appointment of Dushyant Gautam as Sikkim governor and the ongoing CBI investigation into the alleged ‘VIP’ angle. The family’s demand is that the appointment should not proceed until the inquiry is completed, while the Congress has called for the appointment to be reconsidered.
