Ankita Bhandari's parents detained in Delhi; mother threatens hunger strike
What's the story
The parents of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, who was murdered in Uttarakhand in 2022, were detained on Wednesday night and later released after protesting near India Gate in New Delhi. They had been protesting for the entire night, demanding justice for their daughter and opposing the appointment of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim Governor. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi met the parents near India Gate and joined them during their sit-in protest.
Protest demands
'Will sit on hunger strike in our own homes'
Ankita's mother said they would continue protesting until Gautam's appointment was revoked.
"We want to state that we will remain steadfast until his (Dushyant Gautam) appointment is revoked...If we are not permitted to sit here, we will sit on a hunger strike in our own homes," she told reporters.
Her father demanded the government cancel the appointment within 24 hours.
"If it is not revoked, the people across the entire country will take to the streets," he said.
Case background
Know more about the case
Ankita was murdered on September 18, 2022, while working as a receptionist at Vantara resort in Rishikesh. Her body was found in a canal four days later.
The resort owner, Pulkit Arya, who is the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya and two accomplices, has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for her murder.
The case took a new turn when allegations surfaced about an unidentified VIP's involvement, leading Ankita's parents to name Gautam in December 2025.
Appointment controversy
Congress accuses Gautam's appointment as Sikkim Governor of shielding him
The Congress has accused Gautam's appointment as Sikkim Governor of being a move to shield him from criminal proceedings. A governor enjoys immunity from prosecution while in office.
Gautam, a former national general secretary of the BJP, has also served as the party in-charge for Uttarakhand.
He has denied all allegations and filed defamation cases against Ankita's parents.