Ankita Murder Case: Uttarakhand Women's Commission Constitutes Panel To Monitor Probe

Ankita Bhandari, who used to work as a receptionist at a resort near Rishikesh, was allegedly killed by the resort owner Pulkit Arya, the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya.

New Delhi: The Uttarakhand State Commission for Women has formed a committee to monitor the probe into the murder of 19-year-old receptionist Ankita Bhandari and keep an eye on all the aspects of the case, as reported by the news agency PTI.

"It is an extremely sensitive matter in which urgent action needs to be taken. A special committee has been set up by the commission to keep a close eye on the ongoing probe into the case," PTI quoted president of the commission Kusum Kandwal as saying.

The committee comprises of SDM Yamkeshwar, Pauri's District Programme Officer, and Lakshman Jhoola police station sub inspector. They will inform the commission about the progress in the investigation, Kandwal said.

Ankita Bhandari, who used to work as a receptionist at a resort near Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, was allegedly killed by the resort owner Pulkit Arya, the son of former Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vinod Arya, and two of his accomplices.

Vinod Arya was expelled by the BJP after Pulkit's name cropped up in the case.

She was missing for at least six days before the Uttarakhand administration recovered her body from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh on September 24.

The three accused in the case, including Pulkit Arya, were arrested within 24 hours of the matter being handed over to the police from revenue police on September 22.

Earlier in the day, P Renuka, in charge of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), said that all the officers and employees of revenue police in Pauri district of Uttarakhand were being questioned in the ongoing case.

"Now the SIT is also interrogating all the revenue officers and employees of Revenue Police area, Patti Udaipur under Yamkeshwar, in Pauri district," Renuka told ANI.

On Wednesday, an RSS office bearer who had uploaded an objectionable post on social media against Bhandari's kin was booked for sedition and spreading caste animosity.

Vanatara Resort of the main accused Pulkit Arya comes under the Yamkeshwar Tehsil. The SIT is also interrogating Patwari Vaibhav and his car details, as he went on leave after receiving the news of Ankita's disappearance, ANI reported.

(With Inputs from agencies')