New Delhi: The parents of Ankita Bhandari, the 19-year-old Rishikesh resort employee murdered in 2022, were not only detained from Raj Ghat late Wednesday night, November 4. At least four police officers “surrounded them, dragged them away, and shoved them inside a police vehicle”, they have alleged.
“My wife was feeling weak and dizzy, so we were just trying to sit for a moment, when the police began to drag us away. One lady constable said that my wife was acting,” said Virendra Bhandari, Ankita’s father as reported by the media, The Times of India and The Print.
A senior police officer told ThePrint that Ankita’s parents were removed as Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) has been imposed on Rajghat and its surroundings areas. Ankita’s father, however, alleges police is tracking their location.
The Bhandari parents, along with social activist Yogita Bhayana and Congress leader Mumtaz Patel, had gone to Raj Ghat to offer prayers. “We have come here to pray for Ankita and get some strength. The Delhi Police has been tracking our phone location so as soon as reporters began speaking to us while we were catching our breath, they detained us,” Virendra Bhandari said. The expression of public protest was silent and peaceful.
आप ख़ुद ही पूरा वीडियो देखिए… अंकिता की माँ बेहोश पड़ी थी पास में एलएनजेपी हॉस्पिटल था लेकिन पूरे डेढ़ घंटे के बाद उनको बुरारी के सरकारी हॉस्पिटल ले जाया गया…. एक पीड़ित परिवार के साथ ऐसी सवेंदनशीलता ??? https://t.co/uGRhUVLjiT
— Yogita Bhayana योगिता भयाना (@yogitabhayana) November 5, 2026
Instead of allowing their anguish expression, the Delhi police appeared insensate and brutal. Reports state that the couple was allegedly kept in a police van for close to two hours. “They made us sit in the van for close to two hours without any water. My wife was feeling weak and they provided no emergency assistance, but kept on making rounds around markets and roads in that area,” he added.
Later, the police eventually dropped the duo at Burari Hospital, where Virendra claimed that his wife was not given proper treatment. “My wife was not happy with how she was being treated at the hospital so we just left. We don’t want this government’s treatment or help; we have seen enough mistreatment.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) M. Harsha Vardhan told ThePrint, “Parents of Ankita Bhandari were intending on putting up an indefinite dharna so they were removed. We have no issues with them sitting there for a few minutes, but when the police posted there learnt that they intended on doing an indefinite strike, we had to detain them.”
The officer added that the parents were not being tracked, but when they reached the spot, Central Industrial Security Force personnel present alerted the Delhi Police. “We had no intentions of detaining them for two hours but when the Central District police detains people, we take them to Burari or Chhatrasal area, so when Ankita’s parents complained of being unwell we took them to Burari hospital,” he said. He added that the time spent inside the vehicle could be due to the traffic congestion.
The development comes weeks after the Bhandari couple protested in the Capital against the appointment of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the governor of Sikkim. The family has alleged that Gautam was involved in Ankita’s death.
Previously, in October 2026, the parents had also faced similar police brutality at India Gate. At the time, Leader of the Opposition (LOP), Rahul Gandhi had also visited the site of the protest.
Related:
The women India continues to ignore
Protest Denied, Dissent Policed: India’s crackdown on those challenging the Election Commission
Police detain Adivasi students for second day, force them out of Mumbai