BJP leaders face mob fury as Ankita's body recovered from canal

The body of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, allegedly killed by the owner of a Uttarakhand resort who is the son of a senior BJP leader, was recovered near the Cheela canal near Rishikesh on Saturday.

Ankita worked as a receptionist at the resort owned by senior BJP leader and former state minister Vinod Arya's son Pulkit Arya. She had gone missing on September 18.

Police said that Ankita was killed by Pulkit and two other employees of the resort, on the evening of September 18. Sources said she was killed after she refused to have sex with the guests as demanded by the owner.

Pulkit Arya, the manager of the resort Saurabh Bhaskar, and another employee Ankit Gupta, were arrested by police on Friday.

Also read | Uttarakhand resort receptionist killed for refusing to have sex with guests, says friend

Angry crowds damaged a vehicle belonging to a BJP MLA Renu Bisht and gathered in front of the AIIMS Rishikesh where Ankita's boy was taken for postmortem, demanding stern punishment to the accused. The BJP, in apparent damage control, expelled Vinod Arya and Pulkit's brother Ankit Arya, who was the vice-chairman of the Uttarakhand OBC Commission.

The mob also set fire to the resort and assaulted Pulkit while he was being taken to the court in a police vehicle. A series of demonstrations were held in different parts of Uttarakhand in protest against the incident.

Sources said that Ankita had left the resort with Pulkit and two other accused persons late September 18 but did not return with them. In a bid to mislead the cops, Pulkit lodged a missing report with the police on the same evening. Investigations, however, pointed to the involvement of Pulkit in the crime and he was taken into custody. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime, sources said.

Sources said that Pulkut and Ankita had a heated exchange near the canal following which the former pushed her into the canal. The trio fled from the spot after that even as she cried for help.

Reports said that a portion of the resort was demolished on Friday. The state government has called for an investigation into all the resorts in the state to ascertain if they were built illegally. The police would also speak to women employees of the resorts to ascertain if they faced any pressure from their owners.