The autopsy of the girl, who worked as a receptionist at a Yamkeshwar resort, was conducted at the AIIMS-Rishikesh by a jury of doctors.
Live updates on the Ankita Bhandari murder case
Prime Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under DIG P Renuka Devi was trained to probe the entire incident.
Meanwhile, the BJP expelled Vinod Arya and Ankit Arya, father and brother of the main accused. Pulkit Aryaresort owner – on the side with immediate effect.
Here are the main developments of the day:
PM should apologize, fire Smriti Irani: Congress
Congressional spokesperson Supriya Shrinate targeted Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani for her social media post in which the BJP leader shared a photo of herself in a kitchen.
“When the country mourned the death of the receptionist, the minister asked on social media ‘what is he cooking in his kitchen’.
“I don’t know what he is cooking in your kitchen, but there is fear in the minds of women and girls, he should break his silence and take action against the guilty,” Shrinate said, adding: “We must understand that this is the intoxication of power and these things will continue to happen until the leaders of the BJP feel they have political protection. ”
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi must apologize and sack Smriti Irani from the ministry of women and child development,” Shrinate added.
Financial Police System: Speaker
Uttarakhand Assembly President Ritu Khanduri Bhushan wrote to CM Pushkar Singh Dhami asking him to end the tax police system with immediate effect and to establish general police force stations / outposts instead of tax police
The government suspended the local patwari and the inspector of the revenue police, who allegedly did not register a case of the girl’s disappearance for three days.
The chairman of the Pradesh Congress Committee, Karan Mahra, said the young woman was missing on September 18 and the FIR was filed four days later. “It shows that the state government is not serious in its actions. Women are not safe in Uttarakhand,” Mahra said.
“The action taken by the state government is just eye drops. The resort was only partially demolished. It could also be an attempt to destroy evidence,” added Congress Leader Garima Dhasauni.
Contrasting allegations of delayed action against the perpetrators, DGP Kumar said on Thursday the matter was referred to the regular police by the revenue police and the accused was sent behind bars within 24 hours.
The MLA vehicle attacked
On Saturday, angry locals damaged the vehicle of Yamkeshwar police officer Renu Bisht in Rishikesh, allegedly for his late response to the murder of 19-year-old Ankita.
# AnkitaBhandariMurderCase # Rishikesh | Locals protest against Renu Bisht, MLA from #BJP, and vandalize her car. The MLA … https://t.co/0FyWKZHypd
– TOI city (@TOICitiesNews) 1664005160000
People smashed the rear window of the legislator’s car as he was passing through the Chilla Canal, from where the girl’s body was fished out earlier in the day.
Bisht escaped the attack unscathed and was escorted to safety by police personnel.
People claimed that despite being a woman, the MLA not only failed to fight for justice for “Yamkeshwar’s daughter”, but also reacted to the incident days after her murder.
The girl’s body was recovered
The body of Ankita Bhandari, who was reported missing a few days ago, was recovered Saturday from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said: “The body of daughter Ankita was recovered this morning. My heart is deeply saddened by this heartbreaking incident.”
“The search operation was underway since 7 am, we took a woman’s body out, her relatives came here and identified that it was Ankita Bhandari’s body. The body was brought to the AIIMS in Rishikesh, “said a state disaster response forces officer (SDRF).
Additional Police Superintendent Shekhar Suyal added that the deceased’s brother and father identified the body as Ankita Bhandari.
SIT format
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the case.
“In order to ensure the toughest punishment for the guilty, a SIT was formed under the leadership of Deputy Police Inspector General P. Renuka Devi and ordered a thorough investigation into this serious matter,” Dhami said, adding: “Stricter measures will be taken against all culprits in this regard … we will bring the guilty to justice. The guilty will not be spared.”
Building inside the resort on fire
On Friday, Uttarakhand authorities demolished Pulkit-owned Vanatra Resort, where Ankita Bhandari worked as a receptionist.
Angry locals set fire to a building on the resort premises on Saturday.
CM Dhami said district magistrates have been ordered to take action against all resorts within Uttarakhand that have illegal construction.
Victim was told to offer “special services”
Uttarakhand police chief Ashok Kumar said Saturday that Ankita has come under pressure from Pulkit Arya, the resort’s owner, to provide “special services” to guests.
The victim reportedly told her friend that the owner and managers of the resort where she worked were increasing pressure to have sex with guests visiting the resort. Ankita had repeatedly refused to prostitute herself with the guests of the resort.
BJP leader expelled; suspended officials
On Saturday, the BJP expelled Vinod Arya and her son Ankit Arya from the party, the day after the arrest of the leader’s other son, Pulkit Arya, in the Ankita murder case.
Ankit Arya was also removed from the post of vice chairman of the state OBC commission by the state government.
Vinod Arya’s son Pulkit, owner of the resort in the Yamkeshwar district of Pauri, was arrested on Friday along with two employees of the hotel on charges of killing the receptionist, who had disappeared in recent days.
Vinod Arya, a leader of Haridwar’s party, was previously chairman of Uttarakhand Mati’s council with the rank of minister of state.
The government also suspended the local patwari and the inspector of the revenue police, who allegedly did not register a case of the girl’s disappearance for three days.
Congress slams the BJP
On Saturday, Congress attacked the BJP for the murder of Ankita Bhandari and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologize to the nation.
The opposition party called the BJP who expelled Vinod Arya and her son from the party “selective action” and said it should remove all its lawmakers who are accused of crimes against women.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said that every time an incident of sexual exploitation or rape of a woman comes to the fore, the name of a BJP leader comes up. “After the anger escalated, some action was taken, but I believe it is selective action. If action is needed, remove all your MLAs and MPs involved in crimes against women,” she said and listed. the names of the leaders of the BJP.
“Narendra Modi must apologize … We need to understand that this is the thrill of power and these things will continue to happen until the BJP leaders feel they have political protection,” Shrinate said.
Pulkit Arya confesses
Pulkit Arya, arrested on Friday, confessed to pushing Ankita into the canal after an altercation.
The resort owner told police he killed Ankita by pushing her into the barrier from a cliff on September 18, the night she disappeared. The search operation was resumed in the early hours of the Saturday following this input.
Lalita Negi, an SDRF official, said: “Based on Arya’s confession, the SDRF deep diving team had started search operations on Friday at noon shortly after the arrest, but could not find the body. On Saturday he resumed his search and finally I was able to find him from the barrage around 7 am. ”
(With input from agencies)
Wade Rishikesh: Ankita Bhandari murder case, what we know so far
