THE Ankita Bhandari murder case that occurred in Uttarakhand in September 2022 is a painful example of the insensitivity towards violence against women in Uttarakhand and the impunity granted to such perpetrators. Ankita was a 19-year-old young woman who left her studies midway to support her family and started working at a resort. The resort belonged to Pulkit Arya, the son of BJP leader Vinod Arya. Ankita was pressured by Pulkit to provide "special services" to a VIP. When Ankita refused, she was murdered. After the incident, on the government's instructions, a bulldozer was run over the resort, undoubtedly an attempt to destroy evidence - and it succeeded. From the outset, the BJP government in Uttarakhand has appeared to be trying to protect Pulkit Arya and the VIP. After widespread public pressure and protests, Pulkit Arya and two others were sentenced. The court's verdict clearly states that the motive for the murder was refusal to provide special services to the VIP. However, the BJP government in Uttarakhand made no effort to identify or investigate that VIP. Recently, through some video and audio leaks, it has come to light that the VIP could be "Gattu" alias Dushyant Kumar Gautam, who is a national general secretary of the BJP and also in-charge of Uttarakhand BJP. The BJP government is still not serious about delivering justice to Ankita and continues to protect the VIP.

The Ankita Bhandari case is not just any murder case - the fight to deliver justice to Ankita is a bigger struggle against the exploitation and commodification of women. The description of Vanantara Resort in the verdict of the Ankita Bhandari case provides a glimpse into the growing network of prostitution and human trafficking in the state. Even if it is not Gattu, the VIP must be identified, and a stop must be put to exploitation of women and the impunity given to criminals. The entire sequence of Ankita Bhandari's murder is linked to the ideological framework and actions of the BJP in Uttarakhand state, where emphasis is placed on the BJP government's arbitrariness, commodification of women, the system of sexual exploitation, and the impunity granted to influential people. Justice is obstructed through the misuse of power.

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

Ankita Bhandari was born on November 11, 2003, in Dobh-Shrikot village, Pauri Garhwal district. She came from an ordinary rural family, where her father Virendra Singh Bhandari and mother Sona Devi shaped her into a hardworking and ambitious person. Ankita's dream was to support her family and become self-reliant. In 2021, she joined a certificate course at Shri Ram Institute of Hotel Management in Dehradun, but due to her father's job loss during the COVID-19 pandemic, she had to drop out. The family's financial situation deteriorated so badly that Ankita had to find a job quickly. In the hilly areas of Uttarakhand, the tourism industry is an option for young women, but it carries significant risk – as proven in Ankita's case. This industry treats women as commodities, where sexual exploitation is common, and government inaction encourages it.

On August 28, 2022, Ankita started working as a receptionist at Vanantra Resort located near Bhogpur/Ganga-Bhogpur, Rishikesh. The promised monthly salary was Rs 10,000. Daily operations of the resort were handled by Pulkit Arya, manager Saurabh Bhaskar, and assistant manager Ankit Gupta. The resort promised tourists natural beauty, adventure, and relaxation but, behind the scenes, exploitation of women was an organised part.

Initially, Ankita was happy with the job and would call home to update her family. But after a few days, her conversations began showing discomfort and fear. She told her friend via WhatsApp messages that Pulkit Arya was repeatedly pressuring her to provide "special services" or "extra services" (having sexual relations) to a VIP guest. This pressure was part of an organised pattern at the resort, where such demands were common to attract high-paying guests. Several witnesses reported seeing Ankita crying many times and hearing arguments as Pulkit pressurised her. On September 11, 2022, Ankita told her friend that Pulkit Arya had even tried to kiss her. This was the beginning of harassment that later escalated.

On September 17, 2022, Ankita was told to shift downstairs. The murder accused Pulkit Arya said the upstairs room would be given to guests. On the evening of September 18, 2022, an argument took place with the three accused; Abhinav Kashyap testified that Pulkit snatched Ankita's phone and kept her locked in the room for an hour. At 8:32 PM, Ankita made her last call to her friend, in which her voice showed fear and crying. The three criminals, on some pretext, took Ankita on a scooter to Chilla Canal (near Rishikesh) and pushed her into the canal, where she drowned and died. Ankita had paid the price for resisting the commodification of women under protection of power.

PROTESTS ENGULF WHOLE STATE

In the following days, as Ankita went missing, the family desperately searched for her and soon social media picked up the matter, and #JusticeForAnkita started trending. The family tried to file zero FIRs at three police stations on September 19, 2022, but since it was a revenue area, Patwari Vaibhav Pratap did not take action and went on leave. Local protests began on September 20–21, 2022; people gathered outside the resort. Due to this pressure, the case was transferred to regular police. CPI(M) played an active role from here onwards, and party workers raised questions about police negligence, which helped speed up the investigation.

Amid statewide protests and outrage, an SIT was formed on September 22, 2022, and Pulkit Arya and three others were arrested. Then the BJP government’s pushback came out. On September 23, 2022, on the orders of BJP MLA Renu Bisht, parts of the resort (Ankita's room) were demolished with a JCB. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced a fast-track court and ₹25 lakh compensation, but he publicised the bulldozer action as justified, akin to his mission of demolishing mazars. This was nothing but an attempt to destroy evidence on government instructions to protect the VIP.

After the body was found on September 24, 2022, large protests broke out in Dehradun, Pauri, Rishikesh, and Srinagar. Candle marches and road jams occurred to protest against BJP's continuous cover-up efforts. Thousands participated in these protests, emphasising women's safety. On October 2, 2022, Uttarakhand observed a bandh in which the party played a major role. In the following months, candle marches and dharnas continued, and the family demanded a CBI investigation. Due to this pressure, discussion took place in the Assembly, but the BJP continuously tried to suppress the VIP angle and the CBI investigation demand. Even as the trial proceeded, protests continued centred around the demand for CBI investigation. On May 30, 2025, the fast-track court of Additional Sessions Judge Reena Negi convicted Pulkit Arya, Saurabh Bhaskar, and Ankit Gupta and sentenced them to rigorous life imprisonment. This was a result of public pressure, but the VIP still remained unknown and thus protected.

FACT FINDING TEAM REPORT

A national-level fact-finding team of party and AIDWA leaders Maimoona Mollah, Damyanti Negi, and Indu Naudiyal was formed in early October 2022. It visited the crime scenes, the family's home in Dobh-Shrikot village, dharna sites, other villages, civil society groups, and spoke to local people. The team also met government officials including DGP, SIT Chief Renuka Devi, Chief Secretary, and State Women's Commission. The 90-page report titled "A Fact & Finding Report on the Murder of Ankita Bhandari" was published in February 2023.

Some of the key issues raised in the report include police inaction, non- identification of the VIP, destruction of evidence, disregard for POSH Act 2013, and the need for a state policy for women. The report describes Ankita's death as a symbol of commodification and raises questions about the government's insensitivity.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

In December 2025, actress Urmila Sanawar (alleged wife of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore) leaked audio- video in which the VIP was identified as Gattu (Dushyant Kumar Gautam, BJP national general secretary). This brought the case back into spotlight and started new protests. Later, another video of Urmila went viral in which she accused the police of cover-up. This increased statewide outrage and #WhoIsGattu trended on social media, with protests becoming widespread. On December 30, 2025, SFI held protests against the cover-up in the case, getting support from other mass organisations.

On January 4, 2026, a call to gherao the CM's residence by the public was issued in which CPI(M) Uttarakhand and all mass organisations participated enthusiastically. While refuting elements trying to make the movement apolitical, an appeal was made to the public to make the movement political and join with their flags.

After the leak, protests have continued in all parts of the state with mass organisations and the party played a leading role in these protests. The opposition and civil society demanded CBI investigation under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge. On January 7, SFI organised protests and candle marches in the state capital Dehradun against the state's arbitrariness in both the Angel Chakma and Ankita Bhandari cases. Forced by public protests, on January 9, 2026, Chief Minister Dhami recommended a CBI investigation. However, this recommendation did not align with the demand of the people and family that the CBI investigation be done under the supervision of a sitting Supreme Court judge. The perception was that the recommendation for CBI investigation was yet another attempt to save the killers and VIP.

On January 11, 2026, the opposition and civil society called for Uttarakhand bandh, in which the party and mass organizations, along with other left parties, participated, building pressure for investigation into the VIP angle.

This case highlights women's insecurity in the tourism sector, political protection of influential families, minimal oversight in remote resorts, and the complete lack of workplace safety. The description of Vanantra Resort in the verdict shows a glimpse of the growing prostitution and human trafficking network in the state. Ankita's resistance was endangering the resort's illegal activities, so she was murdered. The struggle for truth in Ankita Bhandari's murder is a fight against the exploitation, objectification of women, and misuse of power. The BJP government has been trying to protect Pulkit Arya and the VIP. If the VIP is not found, the motive for the murder will become unknown and the path will open for the convicted criminals to be acquitted. For complete justice, a CBI investigation (under the supervision of the Supreme Court or High Court) is necessary so that the real identity of the VIP, those who destroyed evidence, and the entire network come to light.