Dehradun: A receptionist of the Vanatara Resort at Rishikesh in UttaraKhand, 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari went missing seven days ago. Her body was found in Chilla canal, the police said on Saturday. Her relatives identified the body.
Owner of the resort Pulkit Arya and son of a leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was arrested in connection with the disappearance of the girl. He confessed to having pushed her into the canal. The family members of Ankita alleged that Arya was asking her to provide sexual favours to the guests at the resort, but the girl rejected the proposal as well as the sexual advances of Arya.
Arya together with assistant manager Ankit Gupta, resort manager Saurabh Bhaskar took her to a place near Shakti barrage on September 18. There was an argument among the three over the girl. Arya flew off the handle and pushed Ankita into the water body. After the family members of Ankita filed a missing person complaint, the police began to probe the case and found her body in the canal.
During the probe, the police came across Ankita’s Whatsapp conversations and collared Arya. The trio fell into the police dragnet. Locals staged a sit-in against the murder of Ankita and stopped the police vehicle that was carrying the accused. They also thrashed the accused.
The trio – Arya, Gupta, Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta were sent to 14-day judicial custody.
CM orders formation of SIT
Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “It is unfortunate. The police are working. They have done their work by making arrests. The strictest punishment will be given for such heinous crimes.” Dhami also announced that an SIT had been formed under deputy inspector general of police P Renuka Devi.
BJP leader, son expelled
Pulkit Arya arrested in connection with the murder of Ankita Bhandari is the son of BJP leader Vinod Arya. The BJP expelled both Vinod Arya and his other son from the party. The brother of the accused was also removed as vice president of the state OBC commission, the BJP sources said.
