Protesters in Delhi demand justice for Ankita Bhandari, several detained

Several people, including Congress members, were detained by Delhi Police on Sunday, 18 October, detained several persons after they staged a protest outside the Patiala House Court in New Delhi demanding a transparent and court-monitored probe into the 2022 murder of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari in Uttarakhand. The Mahila Congress, led by its president Alka Lamba, also took out a candle light march in Connaught Place in the evening.

The protesters sought accountability and called for a fair probe into the alleged 'VIP' angle, which has come under renewed scrutiny amid an ongoing CBI investigation.

Delhi Congress member Laxman Rawat said the police detained around 50 people, several of whom were taken to the Jaffarpur Police Station.

Around 100 to 150 people participated in the protest, including Congress functionaries from Uttarakhand, he said.

"We demand that Dushyant Gautam's appointment as Sikkim governor be revoked and that the CBI investigation into the Ankita Bhandari murder case be conducted under the direct supervision of the Chief Justice of India. The probe must be transparent and free from political or administrative interference," a protester said.

A fresh wave of protests has hit the national capital ever since BJP leader Dushyant Gautam was appointed the Sikkim governor. Gautam is alleged to be the "VIP" who sought favours from Bhandari, though nothing incriminating has been established yet.

The body of Bhandari was fished out of Chilla Barrage near Rishikesh in September 2022, triggering outrage in the hill state.

Opposition parties have questioned Gautam's appointment as governor while the investigation into the alleged angle is underway.

On Sunday, as protesters gathered outside the court to call for his ouster as governor, police swooped in on them, detaining several agitators.