Echoing the sentiments of a grieving state, AAP leader Alka Lamba today celebrated the CBI’s role in the Ankita Bhandari case as the direct outcome of an unstoppable public movement. ‘This is jan andolan ki jeet,’ she proclaimed, underscoring how citizen outrage pried open a case stalled by alleged BJP favoritism.
The timeline of tragedy began when 19-year-old Ankita, a receptionist at a Rishikesh-adjacent resort, rebuffed improper advances from her bosses. Her resistance allegedly led to her murder, with the body dumped in the Chilla canal. Prime suspect Pulkit Arya, linked to BJP brass through family, and accomplices faced charges, but public distrust in the state probe ran deep from the start.
Protests erupted organically—students blocking highways, mothers marching with placards, and opposition uniting in Dehradun’s streets. Lamba spotlighted these efforts in her briefing: ‘The government’s reluctance melted only under this heatwave of public anger.’ After high court intervention prompted by PILs and unrest, the CBI assumed charge, bringing forensic expertise and impartiality.
Lamba dissected the delays: tampered evidence, delayed arrests, and whispers of ministerial pressure. The central agency’s steps—raids, polygraph tests, and digital forensics—signal progress. She warned against complacency, vowing AAP’s support for the family and monitoring the probe.
Ankita’s story transcends one death; it’s a clarion call against exploitation in Uttarakhand’s hospitality sector. Lamba’s words galvanize ongoing activism, positioning public movements as justice’s true enforcers. With CBI revelations pending, the nation watches, hopeful that this victory paves the way for systemic change.