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

The body of 19-year-old Ankita, who had gone missing a few days ago, was recovered in the early hours of Saturday from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh.

The outrage over the murder of a 19-year-old woman in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh intensified on Saturday as protesting locals vandalised the car of BJP MLA Renu Bisht. The MLA was later escorted away by the police, news agency ANI reported.

Locals vandalised the car of BJP MLA Renu Bisht in Rishikesh on Saturday. (ANI)

The body of the teen, who had gone missing a few days ago, was recovered in the early hours of Saturday from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh. Relatives identified the body of the teenager, who was reported missing over six days ago.

As protests escalated, the party earlier on Saturday 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 expelled following the accused Pulkit Arya's arrest, the BJP said.

Locals also vandalised the resort owned by the accused and set it on fire. A part of the resort was earlier demolished on the order of Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who expressed pain over the death of the woman and announced the setting up of an SIT, led by DIG police P Renuka Devi, to conduct a speedy probe into the killing.

Police said Saurabh Bhaskar (35) worked as a manager at the resort and Ankit Gupta (19) was his assistant. Pauri Garhwal senior superintendent of police (SSP) Yashwant Singh said Arya had approached the police with a missing complaint to mislead the investigation.

“During the course of the investigation, police learnt the accused and the woman had gone to Rishikesh on Sunday. While on their way back, Pulkit and the woman entered into an argument following which the accused threw her into a canal in Chilla,” the SSP said.