Ankita Bhandari murder: Locals torch Uttarakhand resort owned by former BJP minister’s son; SIT set up to probe the case.
Pulkit and two others were arrested by the police on Friday for murdering Bhandari, who worked as a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort. The accused, including the manager of the resort, had confessed to having pushed the woman into a canal following an altercation, the police said.
Hours after the body of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari was recovered from a canal in Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh on Saturday, locals set fire to the resort at which she worked. The resort was owned by Pulkit Arya, the son of former Uttarakhand BJP minister Vinod Arya and the main accused in the teenager’s murder case.
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Ankita’s mortal remains were recovered from Chilla canal in Rishikesh, police officers told news agency ANI. “The deceased’s brother and father were here and they identified the body,” an officer said. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the case.
Pulkit and two others were arrested by the police on Friday for murdering Bhandari, who worked as a receptionist at Vanantra Resort in the Laxman Jhula area. The accused, including the manager of the resort, had confessed to having pushed the woman into a canal following an altercation, the police said.
#AnkitaBhandari murder case | Locals set Vanatara resort in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand on fire.
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) September 24, 2022
The resort is owned by BJP leader Vinod Arya's son Pulkit Arya. Three accused, including Pulkit, have been arrested in connection with the murder case. pic.twitter.com/FpPIoioC4f
Meanwhile, Pulkit’s brother, Aryan, was removed as the deputy chairman of the state OBC commission on Saturday.
Announcing that an SIT had been set up to probe the murder case, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami tweeted Saturday, “The body of daughter Ankita was recovered this morning. My heart is deeply pained by this heart-breaking incident. To ensure the harshest punishment for the culprits, an SIT has been formed under the leadership of Deputy Inspector General of Police P Renuka Devi Ji and an in-depth investigation has been ordered into this serious matter,” he said.
आज प्रातः काल बेटी अंकिता का पार्थिव शव बरामद कर लिया गया। इस हृदय विदारक घटना से मन अत्यंत व्यथित है।
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) September 24, 2022
दोषियों को कड़ी से कड़ी सजा दिलाने हेतु पुलिस उपमहानिरीक्षक पी. रेणुका देवी जी के नेतृत्व में SIT का गठन कर इस गंभीर मामले की गहराई से जांच के भी आदेश दे दिए हैं।
Dhami also instructed district magistrates to investigate resorts across the state and ensure that necessary action is taken against those operating illegally.