Ankita Bhandari's body recovered from Chilla canal in Uttarakhand, relatives confirm identity

The body of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, who had gone missing a few days ago, was recovered in the early hours of Saturday from the Chilla canal in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) confirmed.Relatives identified the body of the teenager who was reported missing over six days ago.

Uttrakhand Police on Friday arrested three people including Pulkit Arya the son of Vinod Arya, a former BJP minister in the state, on charges of murder of Ankita, who was employed as a receptionist at a resort in Rishikesh.

Police said that the three arrested accused, including the manager of the Vanatara Resort owned by Pulkit Arya, confessed to having pushed Ankita into a canal after an altercation and she had drowned.Meanwhile, the Vanatara Resort was demolished on Friday on the orders of state Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Abhinav Kumar, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister said.

The Uttarakhand Chief Minister has also given instructions to district magistrates to investigate all resorts in the state, he said.Along with this, the Chief Minister has also ordered to ensure that necessary action is taken against resorts that are operating illegally.

Dhami said that the strictest punishment will be given for such crimes."It is unfortunate. Police are working, they have done their work for making the arrests. Strictest punishment would be given for such heinous crimes, whoever be the criminal," he said.Locals in Rishikesh gheraoed police vehicle that was carrying the accused in the murder case earlier on Friday. They also thrashed the accused.