Dehradun witnessed heightened political and civil unrest on Sunday as members of civil society, social organisations, and opposition parties marched towards Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s residence, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the 2022 murder of a young receptionist in Pauri Garhwal. The march was halted by police after barricades were set up at Hathibarkala, leading to tense scenes between protesters and security personnel.
Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat spearheaded the movement, beginning a six-day padyatra from Haridwar to Dehradun to press for a CBI inquiry. Rawat and other protesters alleged that the existing investigation had failed to address all aspects of the case and accused the state government of shielding influential individuals.
The victim, a 19-year-old woman from Uttarakhand’s Pauri district, was working as a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort in Yamkeshwar near Rishikesh. She was murdered on September 18, 2022. According to the prosecution, resort owner Pulkit Arya and his associates Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta killed her following a dispute and later pushed her into the Chilla canal.
The case had sparked massive outrage across Uttarakhand, prompting the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT). In December 2022, the SIT filed a 500-page chargesheet supported by forensic evidence, post-mortem reports, electronic data, and witness testimonies. A court in Pauri district later sentenced all three accused to life imprisonment.
Despite the verdict, protesters continue to demand a CBI probe, claiming unanswered questions remain, particularly regarding allegations of a “VIP guest.” Police officials, however, have reiterated that no such individual was found to be involved during the investigation.
The victim’s mother has called for the death penalty for the convicted men and appealed to the public to continue supporting the family. Meanwhile, BJP leaders dismissed the protests as politically motivated, while state ministers maintained that the government is open to any investigation backed by credible evidence.