Ankita Bhandari's parents and all the Congress protesters who were protesting at India Gate were released by Delhi Police on Thursday. Congress has given this information. According to the party, after her release, Ankita's parents have gone to live at a relative's house.
Delhi Police had detained the protesters around 4 am on Thursday. After this action, Congress leaders expressed strong displeasure. He accused the police of manhandling the protesters and targeting people demanding justice for Ankita.
After all, why was Ankita's family protesting?
This protest was being organized in protest against the appointment of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim. The protesters were demanding that his appointment be put on hold until the investigation into the alleged VIP angle in the Ankita Bhandari murder case is completed. Ankita's parents were also on strike with this demand. He said that the appointment of Dushyant Kumar Gautam should be canceled until the central investigation into the alleged VIP angle in the case is completed.
What did Ankita Bhandari's father say to the media?
After being taken into the custody of Delhi Police, Ankita Bhandari's father spoke to the media from inside the bus. He said that protests will continue across the country until his daughter gets justice. Ankita's father said, “If justice is not given, protests will be held across the country until my daughter gets justice.”-
He further said, “The first demand is that the appointment of Dushyant Gautam should be cancelled. If his appointment is not cancelled, we will once again have to take to the streets across the country. My daughter should get justice.”
Did Congress come with the family?
Earlier on Wednesday, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had reached the protest site and met Ankita's family. Ankita Bhandari used to work in a resort in Uttarakhand. He was murdered in September 2022. On 24 September 2022, his body was recovered from Chilla Canal.
In this case, the resort owner Pulkit Arya and his two employees Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta were sentenced to life imprisonment on May 30, 2025. All three were convicted of murder, destruction of evidence and other crimes.
What did Congress say?
After Ankita's parents and protesters were detained, Congress leaders Supriya Shrinet, Pawan Kheda and Qazi Nizamuddin condemned the action of Delhi Police. He raised questions as to why the victim's family, who was demanding justice, was treated this way. Congress leader Pawan Kheda said, “This is cruelty. You can see that democracy seems to be ending at India Gate. At 4 in the morning, democracy is ending.”
He also raised the question that when the protesters were expressing their concerns about the appointment of Dushyant Kumar Gautam, then why was there a need to detain Ankita's parents. Congress leader Supriya Srinet also described the police action as harsh. He said that Ankita's parents have been demanding justice for the last four years.
What did Supriya Shrinet say?
Shrinet said, “What kind of action is this? Such a ruthless action is being taken against the helpless parents who have been demanding justice for four years. Instead of providing them justice, the government is appointing the main accused as the Governor and then is treating the parents so cruelly.” Meanwhile, Congress leader Qazi Nizamuddin said that his campaign will continue until the party's demands are met.
Congress also alleged that while detaining the protesters, women protesters were manhandled. Questioning the action of the police, the party said that this kind of behavior with Ankita's family and the people demanding justice for her is not appropriate.