Body of Uttarakhand resort receptionist found in canal

Pulkit Arya, the key accused in the case and the owner of the resort where the victim worked, is son of Vinod Arya, a BJP leader from Haridwar

Body of a female resort receptionist, who was murdered allegedly by the resort owner and thrown into the Cheela canal, inside an ambulance after police recovered it in Rishikesh. | Photo Credit: PTI

Police early Saturday recovered the body of a female receptionist, allegedly killed by a BJP leader's son, from Cheela canal where the accused had dumped her.

The development in the case was shared by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in a tweet, who said he was pained by the incident.

Pulkit Arya, the key accused in the case and the owner of the resort where the victim worked, is son of Vinod Arya, a BJP leader from Haridwar.

The politician was formerly a chairman of the Uttarakhand Mati Kala Board. An SIT led by DIG police P Renuka Devi has been set up to conduct a speedy probe into the killing of the 19-year-old woman.

The resort, built illegally in the Yamkeshwar block of Pauri district by the BJP leader's son, was demolished late Friday night, Mr. Dhami said.

Those who have committed the heinous crime will not be spared, Mr. Dhami said.

आज प्रातः काल बेटी अंकिता का पार्थिव शव बरामद कर लिया गया। इस हृदय विदारक घटना से मन अत्यंत व्यथित है।

दोषियों को कड़ी से कड़ी सजा दिलाने हेतु पुलिस उपमहानिरीक्षक पी. रेणुका देवी जी के नेतृत्व में SIT का गठन कर इस गंभीर मामले की गहराई से जांच के भी आदेश दे दिए हैं।

— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) September 24, 2022

Pulkit Arya, resort manager Saurabh Bhaskar, and assistant manager Ankit Gupta were arrested on Friday after they confessed to have killed the girl and thrown her body into Cheela canal.

Initially, they tried to mislead the police, but when interrogated sternly they confessed to the crime, Pauri ASP Shekhar Chandra Suyal had said on Friday.

Before she was found dead, the girl was reported missing at a revenue police outpost by her parents, after they did not find her in her room on Monday morning.