Ankita Bhandari murder case: Uttarakhand women's commission sets up panel to monitor probe

Dehradun, September 29

The Uttarakhand State Commission for Women has constituted a committee to monitor the ongoing probe into the Ankita Bhandari murder case and keep an eye on all its aspects.

“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,” president of the commission Kusum Kandwal said.

The committee consisting SDM Yamkeshwar, Pauri’s District Programme Officer and Lakshman Jhoola Police Station Sub Inspector will keep informing the commission about the progress in the investigations, she said.

Bhandari, a 19-year-old receptionist at a resort near Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, was allegedly killed by the resort owner and two of his accomplices.

The three accused, including resort owner Pulkit Arya, were arrested within 24 hours of the matter being handed over to the regular police force from the revenue police on September 22, an official had said.

The accused had said they had pushed Bhandari into the Chilla canal on September 18 and her body was found on September 24.

The main accused Pulkit Arya is the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, who was expelled by the party when Pulkit’s name cropped up in the case.

Also on Wednesday, an RSS office-bearer who had uploaded an objectionable post on the social media against the kin of Bhandari after her murder, was booked for sedition and spreading caste animosity.