Ankita Bhandari Murder: Family Refuses To Conduct Last Rites, Protestors Block Badrinath-Rishikesh Highway — Updates

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (retired) at Raj Bhavan and informed him about the action being taken in the Ankita Bhandari murder case. 

New Delhi: The family of 19 year-old woman receptionist, Ankita Bhandari who was allegedly killed by her employer in Uttarakhand refused to conduct her last rites until they get the final postmortem report, even as a preliminary report has suggested that she died due to drowning, reported news agency PTI. 

On Sunday, her father and brother said that they will not conduct her last rites until they get the final postmortem report. 

"I am not satisfied with the provisional postmortem report. Her last rites will not be performed until we get the final detailed report," said her father Virendra Singh Bhandari, quoted by the news agency. 

Her brother Ajay Singh Bhandari claimed that the provisional report is lacking in detail.

They also spoke against the demolition exercise carried out at the resort where she was working as a receptionist. "It may be an attempt to destroy evidence," Ajay said.

The woman worked at the Vanantara resort in Pauri district's Yamkeshwar block owned by Haridwar BJP leader Vinod Arya's son Pulkit Arya.

Pulkit and two other employees have been arrested in the case.

Protestors Block Highway

Demanding action agains the accused in the killing of Bhandari, a huge crowd of protestors blocked the Badrinath-Rishikesh highway in Uttarakhand's Srinagar district on Sunday. They staged protest in front of the mortuary near the base hospital where Bhandari's body was taken to, reported news agency ANI. Earlier in the morning, shops were remained shut to protest agaisnt her killing in the district. 

The receptionist’s murder has triggered anger among the locals in Pauri who jammed the bus station and in other parts of Uttarakhand as well who took to streets demanding action against accused. Protestors had gathered at the District Magistrate’s office in Pauri while shops were shut in Srinagar in protest. 

Draft Postmortem Report 

The draft report released by All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh also said antemortem injuries (injuries before death) have been found on Ankita Bhandari's body, suggestive of a blunt force trauma. However, she died of drowning, said the preliminary report, stated the news agency. 

Bhandari’s body was recovered from Chilla canal in Rishikesh on Saturday, six days after her parents found her missing from her room. Her postmortem was conducted by a four-member team of doctors at AIIMS on Saturday. 

The draft stated that the details of injury found on her body and other findings will be given in the final report. 

CM Dhami Informs Governor About Action Taken

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (retired) at Raj Bhavan and informed the latter about the action being taken in the Ankita Bhandari murder case. 

“CM assured that the culprits wouldn't be spared under any circumstances. Condoling heinous crime, Governor expressed his condolences to the bereaved family,” Raj Bhawan said in a statement, quoted by news agency ANI.