Rishikesh: Anger over the Ankita Bhandari death case poured onto the streets as the locals on Sunday blocked the Badrinath Rishikesh highway area in front of the base hospital where Ankita's remains are kept. The administration team tried clearing the jam caused due to the barricading.
The masses demanded the post-mortem report of the deceased and capital punishment for the culprits. The local market was shut on Sunday as people showed solidarity ahead of Ankita Bhandari's funeral. Traders of Srinagar kept their business establishments wholly closed. The development came ahead of Ankita's funeral in Garhwal, Srinagar.
Earlier, the family of the deceased refused to perform the last rites as they demanded the handing over of the post-mortem report. The administration on the other hand tried convincing Ankita's family. "We won't conduct her last rites until her post-mortem report is given. We saw in her provisional report that she was beaten up and thrown in a river. But we're awaiting the final report," said Ajay Singh Bhandari, brother of Ankita Bhandari.
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The draft report has been released by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh. The post-mortem was conducted on Saturday at the AIIMS by a four-member team of doctors. The report further stated that the details of injuries and other findings will be given in the detailed report.
The SIT on Sunday told a news agency that her Whatsapp chats were also being probed. Earlier on Saturday, the Vanatara resort in Rishikesh owned by expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya's son Pulkit Arya, who is an accused in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, was set on fire by angry locals. Anger over the horrific crime poured onto streets in other parts of Uttarakhand as well as locals jammed the bus station in Pauri.
Protestors also gheraoed the District Magistrate's office in Pauri. The body of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari who was reported missing a few days ago was recovered on Saturday from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to be formed to probe the case.
The resort is owned by Haridwar BJP leader Vinod Arya's son Pulkit Arya. Pulkit along with two other accused have been arrested in relation to the case. Ankita's body was recovered from the Cheela canal close to Rishikesh on Saturday.
