Uttarakhand woman murder: Ankita died due to drowning, says draft autopsy report

19-year-old Ankita Bhandari who was allegedly murdered in Uttarakhand had a blunt force injury and died to due to drowning, according to a draft autopsy report released by AIIMS Rishikesh.

The body of Ankita Bhandari who worked in an Uttarakhand resort was recovered from a canal on Saturday, police said as the ruling BJP swung into action to expel its leader whose son, the main accused, owned the property and the administration began demolishing the structure.

Outrage over the killing of the 19-year-old, who worked as a receptionist in the Vanantara resort in Pauri district's Yamkeshwar block owned by Haridwar BJP leader Vinod Arya's son Pulkit Arya, escalated as details emerged of her trauma in the days preceding her death.

Violent protests erupted in areas surrounding the resort with locals breaking glass panes and some trying to torch a pickle factory in its premises. However, the fire did not spread much as the weather was cloudy.

Also watch: Ankita Bhandari killed for refusing 'special services' to guests: Uttarakhand top cop

Bhandari had been under pressure from Pulkit Arya -- who was arrested on Friday with resort manager Saurabh Bhaskar and assistant manager Ankit Gupta and sent to 14 days judicial custody -- to provide “special services” to guests, Director General of Police Ashok Kumar said.

This had been gleaned from her chat with a friend, he said.

(with PTI inputs)