A massive crowd of mostly young people and women marched towards the Chief Minister’s residence in Dehradun on Sunday afternoon. About a kilometer from their destination, they were stopped by a police force outnumbering the protesters, along with barricades they had set up. Shalini, a 26-year-old school teacher, reflected on the similarities to the Uttarakhand statehood agitation her parents had recounted to her.
This protest, part of several held across the state including Tehri Garhwal and Almora, sought answers and accountability in the case of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari’s murder, which occurred in 2022. After their march was blocked, Shalini joined her fellow protesters in chanting, “Mukhyamantri maun hai, VIP kaun hai” (The Chief Minister is silent, who is the VIP).
The renewed wave of protests follows fresh allegations made by Urmila Sanawar, the wife of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore. She claimed that a VIP who sought sexual favors from Bhandari was a senior leader known as “Gattu,” releasing an audio clip where Rathore purportedly named BJP national general secretary Dushyant Gautam and another senior leader. Rathore later dismissed the clip as AI-generated and accused Sanawar of defaming the party, while Gautam has denied any involvement in the case.
The police have filed two cases against both individuals under the IT Act. Despite their absence from public view, a sustained movement has emerged, with those protesting demanding a recommendation for a CBI inquiry into the incident.
Allegations surrounding the VIP’s involvement have circulated since Bhandari’s murder. She was reportedly killed by Pulkit Arya, the resort manager, allegedly for refusing sexual favors. Arya, the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, was convicted in the case, which has sparked widespread outrage and reflection on women’s safety.
The prosecution examined 47 witnesses and relied on evidence, including WhatsApp chats, indicating that Bhandari was distressed by the accused’s behavior and their “obscene proposals.” In one chat, she allegedly questioned, “I am poor, but will I sell myself for Rs 10,000?”
At the protest, Shalini emphasized how the unsafe conditions for women and the threat posed by unemployment render Bhandari’s case personal to every woman. She voiced concerns about the regression to outdated practices that the statehood agitation once sought to rectify. Citing a report that identified Dehradun among the nation’s ten most unsafe cities, she lamented, “Ankita had to pay with her life to wake the people up.”
Shalini, who is preparing for public service examinations, expressed awareness of the struggles faced by youth, noting limited opportunities that force many, including Bhandari, to seek inadequate pay in jobs. Bhandari had enrolled in a hotel management course but dropped out due to financial constraints; a month before her first salary as a receptionist, she was tragically murdered.
The protest garnered support from multiple opposition parties, including the Congress and Uttarakhand Kranti Dal. Ajay Negi, a protester from Lansdowne, remarked that the resurfacing of allegations has intensified public dissatisfaction with the government. He highlighted issues such as extreme weather events and economic precarity that have affected livelihoods.
Environmentalist Atul Kumar criticized government inaction regarding the allegations, suggesting that authorities have consistently shirked responsibility. He noted that many individuals remain silent due to fear of retribution, underscoring a culture of intimidation that hinders mobilization.
Protesters have announced a state-wide strike on January 11, demanding that the government acknowledge their calls for a CBI probe, marking what they insist is a necessary uprising against systemic injustices in the region. Kanishk Badiyari from the Garhkumaon alliance mentioned that this movement symbolizes broader discontent, with numerous underlying issues, from environmental degradation to social injustice, contributing to the growing frustrations bubbling to the surface.
As protesters pasted stickers reading “VIP?” on police signage, Badiyari concluded, “We all know who it is. What we need is an investigation. We will continue this fight until all the guilty are punished, and Ankita gets justice.”
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/well-continue-until-ankita-gets-justice-protests-rage-across-uttarakhand-demanding-cbi-probe-in-2022-murder-10455330/
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Publish Date: 2026-01-04 21:25:00
