Kotdwar (Uttarakhand) [India], May 30 : Ahead of the Kotdwar court's verdict in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, the victim's mother Soni Devi broke down in grief, urging the people of Uttarakhand to continue supporting the family and demanding capital punishment for those accused in the case that shook the state in 2022.
Speaking to ANI, the victim's mother, Devi, said, "...May the criminals be sentenced to death...I appeal to the public of Uttarakhand to keep on supporting us and come to the Kotdwar court to boost our morale"
The Additional District and Sessions Court in Kotdwar is set to pronounce its verdict today.
The security of the court complex in Pauri Garhwal district has been tightened. Due to heavy police deployment to maintain law and order, the area resembles a cantonment.
Pauri Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Lokeshwar Singh stated that police forces from the district and beyond are deployed, with a 100-meter court periphery declared a zero zone, allowing entry only for government employees and court attendees.
"Police arrangements have been made, with forces deployed from the district and other districts. The 100-meter periphery of the court premises has been designated a zero zone, restricting entry to only government employees and individuals appearing in court. Any unknown person would be barred from the court entry," he said.
Ankita Bhandari, a resident of Pauri district, used to work in Vanantra Resort of Rishikesh. It is alleged that the resort owner, Pulkit Arya and his associates, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit, had murdered Ankita by pushing her into the barrage.
The body of Ankita Bhandari was recovered from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh on September 24. She was reported missing for at least six days before the officials found her body. An SIT headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police P Renuka Devi was initially probing the case.
The first hearing of the case started on January 30, 2023, in the ADJ Court in Kotdwar. After the SIT investigation, a 500-page chargesheet was filed in the court by the prosecution regarding this murder. After the charges were framed against the three accused of this sensational murder, Vanantra Resort owner Pulkit Arya, his employee Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, the testimony of the prosecution started from March 28, 2023.
In the hearing that lasted for about two years and eight months, 47 witnesses, including the investigator, were examined in the court on behalf of the prosecution. However, the SIT had made 97 witnesses in this case, out of which only 47 important witnesses were produced in the court.