Murder of Ankita Bhandari
Ankita Bhandari | |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 November 2003 |
| Died | 18 September 2022 (aged 18) Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India |
| Cause of death | Murder (drowning) |
| Body discovered | 24 September 2022 Chilla Canal, Rishikesh, India |
| Occupation | Hotel receptionist |
| Known for | Murder victim |
Ankita Bhandari (11 November 2003 – 18 September 2022) was an Indian receptionist from Pauri who was murdered at the Vanantra Resort by its owner Pulkit Arya, son of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vinod Arya in Ganga-Bhogpur in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. BJP MLA Renu Bisht is accused of attempting to cover up the crime by having ordered an unlawful demolition of the resort after the murder.
The case gained much publicity in national and state media due to use of political power in an attempts at rape by coercion. The theory is supported by statements of her mother, though the chats presented in the chargesheet were insufficient. According to the witness statement of a hotel staffer, she was raped.
Three main accused were Pulkit Arya, the assistant resort manager Ankit Gupta and the resort manager, Saurabh Bhaskar have confessed to the murder and were sentenced on charges of abduction and murder. A district court in Kotdwar convicted Pulkit Arya, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta for the murder of Ankita Bhandari on 30 May 2025 with the verdict being delivered by Judge Reena Negi.