All the three culprits ( undertrials) in the Ankita Bhandari brutal murder case languishing jail namely Pulkit Arya, Ankit and Bhaskar have been convicted for murder etc by the Sessions Court Kotdwara, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand and awarded rigorous life imprisonment.
After 32 months and 88 dates, all three accused were sentenced under sections 120 B, 302, 354 A.
Thousands of curious people and activists of UKD and other social organisations including Kotdwar residents as well as people from different parts of Uttarakhand have gathered outside the Court precincts under heavy police bandobast and barricades on all sides of the entry points in Kotdwar township to avoid the tense situation going out of control.
Protestors in support of the noble cause demanding stringent punishment rather death to the culprits of Ankita Bhandari holding placards and banners raising anti police and government slogans have gathered in large numbers curiously awaiting the capital punishment judgement to all the three culprits.
The media was also present in good numbers with television crew with their cameras and You tubers covering every moment of the developments of this long pending case.
A team of advocates representing the victim Ankita Bhandari with Ashutosh Negi and others were inside the court with the counsels of the culprits too.
Hundreds of policemen and paramilitary jawans have been deployed in the court premises and in various locations of Kotdwar to ensure maintenance of law and order situation.
The five hundred page chargesheet by the SIT with 97 witnesses cross examined and their statements recorded , have been already submitted to the honourable sessions judge.
It almost took three years to complete all the judicial hearings and hectic arguments.
It may be recalled that Ankita Bhandari, a 19 year old innocent girl of Shrikot village, near Srinagar, Pauri Garhwal who was working as receptionist in Vanantara resort owned by a BJP leader in Yamkeshwar was brutally murdered by his son Pulkit Arya and his two accomplices after sexually assaulting her in the resort and finally throwing into the Chila canal Rishikesh after she refused to give extra service to a VIP in order to safeguard her dignity.
This brutal murder was committed on 18 September 2021 after she was declared mysteriously missing.
Her traumatised parents after immense pressure and efforts could lodge the complaint after several days.
The dead body of Ankita was found from the Chila canal after five days when due to immense pressure by people in social media and press led by Ashutosh Negi the police came into action.
There have been several protest demonstrations since then with parents of the deceased and people not relying on the SIT probe asking the government to recommend the trivial case to CBI.
But the government would not accept compelling the petitioner parents to approach the Uttarakhand High Court which too turned it down expressing full faith in the investigations of the SIT.
The journalist cum advocate Ashutosh filed a SLP in Supreme Court through the human rights activist renowned counsel Gonsalves but the case was turned down after few hearings.
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