Huge backlash over Uttarakhand resort murder, BJP expels ex-minister

Mangalore Today News Network / NDTV

New Delhi, Sep 24, 2022: Following widespread outrage over the murder of a young girl allegedly by a senior BJP leader’s son, the party today expelled the father and brother of the accused. BJP leader Vinod Arya and the accused’s brother Ankit Arya, who was also a party member, have been kicked out of the party following the accused Pulkit Arya’s arrest.

 

Vinod Arya served as a chairman of the Uttarakhand Mati Kala Board with a state minister’s rank, while Ankit Arya was the Vice President of the state OBC Commission. Both of them have also been relieved from their posts by the state government.

Meanwhile, a day after the administration bulldozed parts of the Uttarakhand resort where Pulkit Arya allegedly murdered the 19-year-old woman who worked as a receptionist, angry locals set fire to parts of the building. They also vandalised local BJP MLA Renu Bisht’s car. Cops had to reportedly evacuate her to safety.

Pulkit Arya was arrested for the murder of the young receptionist at a resort he owns near Rishikesh, in Pauri district, Uttarakhand. He had reported her missing on Monday, as did her family, but police said it later turned out he, along with two staff members, had killed her. Those two have been arrested too.

The resort is about 10 km from the main town, Rishikesh.

Civic authorities had carried out demolition at the resort overnight following the orders of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

The woman’s body was recovered from a canal this morning. Police are probing the motive amid allegations of inaction "because the accused’s father belongs to the state’s ruling party BJP and RSS".

There are allegations that the teenager was being forced into prostitution, but the police have not confirmed it.

Besides Pulkit Arya, resort manager Saurabh Bhaskar and assistant manager Ankit Gupta have been arrested. They confessed to the crime when questioned sternly, cops said.

When the men were arrested yesterday, protesting locals surrounded the police vehicle and assaulted them before the cops managed to take them away.

Opposition Congress has said cops were slow "because of his links with the RSS-BJP". "It’s horrific. When the girl went missing on September 18, why did the police register the FIR on September 21?" said state Congress spokesperson Garima Mehra Dasauni, "Till when will this brazen misuse of power by BJP and RSS leaders continue?"

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami promised "the harshest action" no matter who is involved.