Various organisations have announced an intensified protest over the Ankita Bhandari murder case, demanding disclosure of the alleged VIP’s name and a CBI probe under Supreme Court supervision. As part of the agitation, a torch march will be taken out from Gandhi Park in Dehradun on January 10, followed by a statewide bandh on January 11.
Addressing the media at the Press Club, Mahila Manch president Kamla Pant said the movement would continue until the alleged VIP named in the case is made public. She stated that references to the VIP appear both in court orders and in the conversation between Ankita and her friend, making the government’s silence questionable. According to her, the state must clarify the matter and order a CBI investigation monitored by a Supreme Court judge.
Leaders of various organisations accused the government of shielding influential individuals. They said new developments emerge daily, yet there is no clarity on who attempted to destroy evidence at the Vanantra resort and under whose instructions this was done. They insisted that accountability must be fixed without delay.
Mool Niwas Bhoo-Kanoon Sangharsh Samiti convener Mohit Dimri accused the Chief Minister of diverting the issue. He said the statement that a CBI probe would depend on the wishes of Ankita’s parents was an attempt to delay justice. Speakers also criticised the government for turning the meeting with Ankita’s parents in Dehradun into an event, instead of addressing core demands.
Organisations said the agitation is not linked to any single party, but represents public anger. They also pointed out that assurances such as a government job for Ankita’s brother and the opening of a nursing college in her name remain unfulfilled. Representatives of several groups were present during the press interaction.
