Delhi Police Detain Protesters Over Sikkim Governor Appointment

Delhi Police detained the parents of Ankita Bhandari and several leaders of the Indian National Congress during a sit-in protest at India Gate in New Delhi on October 15, 2026. The detentions occurred around 4 am, and the parents were released by 5 am. The demonstrators were protesting the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim, alleging his involvement in the 2022 murder of Bhandari, a former receptionist at the Vanantra Resort in Rishikesh.

Virendra Singh Bhandari, Ankita's father, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the central government to cancel the appointment or face nationwide agitation. The family claims Gautam was the unidentified VIP linked to the murder. While resort owner Pulkit Arya and two staff members received life sentences in May 2025, the family seeks accountability for the alleged VIP involvement and demands the appointment be paused pending a CBI investigation.

Congress leaders condemned the police action as brutality and claimed the appointment was intended to shield Gautam from criminal proceedings, as governors possess immunity while in office. Dushyant Kumar Gautam has denied the accusations and initiated defamation proceedings. Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted immunity to Gautam to prevent his arrest.