Ankita Bhandari's parents issue ultimatum to government after release from police detention

UPDATE - follow-up to Ankita Bhandari murder: Parents detained during India Gate protest, released around 5 a.m.: The parents of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari were released early Thursday morning after being detained during a protest near India Gate in New Delhi.

Demands And Protests

The family protested against Dushyant Kumar Gautam's appointment as the Governor of Sikkim, demanding its cancellation and a hold on the role until the ongoing CBI investigation finishes. Ankita's father issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the government and threatened a nationwide agitation if the demand is not met. The family alleges that Mr. Gautam played a key role in the 2022 murder and is the unnamed VIP linked to the case, though he has denied the accusations and started defamation proceedings.

Political Arrests

Several Congress leaders joined the protest and faced detention alongside the parents before their release. Those detained included Pawan Khera, the party's media and publicity department head, Supritya Shrinate, social media department head, and Uday Bhanu Chib, the Indian Youth Congress chief. Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi also met the parents during the protest.

Context

Ankita Bhandari worked as a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort in Rishikesh before she was killed in September 2022. The resort owner and two accomplices were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in the case.