Within hours after arresting Pulkit Arya, son of prominent BJP leader and former minister, the Uttarakhand Police on Saturday morning recovered the body of Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-girl, who was missing for the last five days.
The deceased was serving as a receptionist at Vadantra Resort in Rishikesh, which is owned by Pulkit Arya - the main accused and son of a BJP leader. The victim was reportedly killed as she opposed sexual favour to the owner and customers of the resort.
After family members lodged a written complaint regarding the missing of Ankita Bhandari, the Uttarakhand Police on Friday arrested three persons including Pulkit Arya, who is the son of former state minister Vinod Arya, resort manager Ankit, and another person named Saurabh.
Reports said that the police launched an investigation after the girl's family reported a missing case and feared murder.
During interrogation, the alleged culprits disclosed that the 19-year-old girl was murdered after an argument with her as she was refusing the demand of the resort owner for sexual favour for himself and his guests in the resort. The three accused murdered the girl and threw her in the Rishikesh Chila barrage.
Victim's body recovered from a canal
Acting on confessions made by the three accused during interrogation, the Uttarakhand Police along with the SDRF teams reduced the water in the Rishikesh Chilla barrage to recover the dead body. This morning body of Ankita recovered and her family members were called to identify the body.
Locals hold protest; demand exemplary punishment
Locals held a massive protest against the culprits and demanded exemplary punishment for those involved in committing this heinous crime. After the police arrested all three accused, the locals stopped the police vehicle and thrashed the arrested culprits for executing the brutal crime.
आरोपियों के गैर कानूनी रूप से बने रिजॉर्ट पर बुल्डोजर द्वारा कार्रवाई भी कल देर रात की गई है।
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) September 24, 2022
हमारा संकल्प है कि इस जघन्य अपराध के दोषियों को बख्शा नहीं जाएगा।
Victim's Jammu-based Facebook friend helped solve the case
Pushpa - a Jammu-based Facebook friend of Ankita Bhandari helped the police solve this sensational murder case. After getting information about the missing girl, Pushpa reached Rishikesh and told the police as well as family members of the victim that she was killed for opposing physical relations with the customers of the resort.
According to reports published in a local Hindi daily, Pushpa revealed that Anikta had spoken to him on the night of the incident.
अंकिता हत्याकांड मामले में हमने मुख्य आरोपी पुलकित आर्य के भाई अंकित आर्य को उत्तराखण्ड अन्य पिछड़ा वर्ग आयोग के नामित उपाध्यक्ष पद से तत्काल प्रभाव से हटा दिया है।
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) September 24, 2022
साथ ही अंकित आर्य एवं उनके पिता विनोद आर्य को भाजपा से भी निष्कासित कर दिया गया है। pic.twitter.com/bq7SiM3rUl
Resort owned by accused bulldozed; father and brother expelled from BJP
Taking serious note of the incident, the Uttarakhand Government bulldozed the resort owned by the son of the BJP leader.
Abhinav Kumar, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister informed that the process of the demolition of the resort was being carried out on the orders of Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Following the murder of Ankita Bhandari, the Chief Minister directed district magistrates to take necessary action against all the illegally running resorts in the state. Meanwhile, Vinod Arya and Ankit Arya, father, and brother of the main accused Pulkit Arya have been expelled from BJP with immediate effect.
I am so saddened to hear about the death of #Ankitabhandari while at work at a resort near Rishikesh.
— Mariellen Ward (@Breathedreamgo) September 23, 2022
I recently left Rishikesh because of all the negative changes including overtourism, drinking, rowdy tourists etc. But I hate to think women are not safe there. pic.twitter.com/NFIVGTVP9F
