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Uttarakhand: Resort staff shares deets on night before receptionist went missing

Uttarakhand teen murder: According to reports, the receptionist was murdered as she resisted sexual favours sought by the BJP leader Vinod Arya’s son Pulkit.

Updated on: Sep 24, 2022, 18:05:15 IST
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An employee of the resort in Uttarakhand owned by expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya's son Pulkit Arya, an accused in the murder of the receptionist there, shared details of the night before the woman went missing only to be found dead a few days later.

A large crowd gather outside AIIMS Rishikesh where the young reception's autopsy was conducted. (ANI Photo)
A large crowd gather outside AIIMS Rishikesh where the young reception's autopsy was conducted. (ANI Photo)

Speaking to news agency ANI, the staff member, identified as Manveer Singh Chauhan, said he received a call from Ankit (presumable one of the other accused in the case Ankit Gupta, 19) around 8pm to prepare dinner for four persons. The man then told Chauhan around 10.45pm that he would take the dinner to the receptionist's room. When told that service boys could do the needful, he did not agree and went ahead, Chauhan said, adding then most of the staff went off to sleep.

Also read | Outrage grows, BJP MLA's car vandalised over murder of Uttarakhand teen

It was only next morning that the staff at Vanatara resort came to know about the 19-year-old girl going missing. “The next day we saw madam was missing from her room. Her bag, money, documents and food were left in the room,” Chauhan said.

The BJP has expelled Vinod Arya and his other son Ankit. Besides Pulkit Arya and Ankit Gupta, the other accused arrested in the case is Saurabh Bhaskar. All of them have reportedly confessed to the killing. According to reports, the receptionist was murdered as she resisted sexual favours sought by the BJP leader’s son.

Meanwhile, as outrage intensified across the hill state over the teenager's murder in which the BJP leader's son is involved, the victim's autopsy was conducted at AIIMS Rishikesh amid heavy police security.

Earlier in the day, locals set afire the Vanatara resort, under lens over the murder. Anger over the crime poured onto streets in several parts of Uttarakhand as well with locals agitating at the bus station in Pauri and gheraoing the district magistrate's office in Pauri.

Locals also damaged the vehicle of Yamkeshwar MLA Renu Bisht in Rishikesh allegedly over her late response to the murder. They smashed the rear windscreen of the legislator's car when she was passing by Cheela canal, from where the body of the girl was found early on Saturday.

Bisht escaped the attack unhurt and was escorted to safety by the police personnel.

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