Ankita Bhandari Murder Case: In Dehradun, Cong Mahila Morcha State Chief Gets Her Head Shaved in Protest – News18

Congress Mahila Morcha state president Jyoti Rautela and a fellow female party worker got their heads shaved on Thursday as the party staged a march to the chief minister’s residence here, protesting alleged denial of justice to slain receptionist Ankita Bhandari.

Rautela and others leading the procession were intercepted by the police at the heavily barricaded Hathibarkala chowk and not allowed to proceed further toward the CM’s residence.

Later, they sat on a dharna at the chowk demanding justice for Ankita and raised slogans of “Ankita hum sharminda hain, tere quatil zinda hain (Ankita we are ashamed that your killers are alive)”.

The Congress Mahila Morcha president and her party colleague Shivani Thapliyal had their heads shaved off. Bhandari who worked as a receptionist at Vanantara resort, Rishikesh was allegedly murdered last year by its owner Pulkit Arya, and his two accomplices after she resisted being pressured into offering “extra services” to a “VIP” guest. Pulkit Arya’s father Vinod Arya was a BJP leader who was expelled from the party after his son’s name cropped up as the main accused in the case.

Bhandari’s body had been recovered from the Chilla barrage near the resort a few days after her murder. She was allegedly pushed into it by her killers, causing her death.

The accused have been in jail for around a year as their trial continues in court.

The Congress has been demanding a CBI probe into Bhandari’s murder accusing the state government of protecting her killers.

Last month, they had observed a day-long “maun vrat” (silent protest) here demanding justice for Ankita.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)