She Said No, They Silenced Her: The Ankita Bhandari Murder Case And What It Uncovered

On September 18, 2022, a missing person report was filed for 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, a receptionist at Vanantra Resort in Uttarakhand's Yamkeshwar. At first, it was treated like any other disappearance. But within days, the investigation into the case revealed chilling details involving powerful people and allegations of exploitation that resulted in murder.

Ankita, a resident of Dobh-Srikot village in Pauri Garhwal, had joined the resort only weeks ago. According to the police, a dispute erupted that night between Ankita and her employer Pulkit Arya — son of a former BJP leader — along with resort staffers Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta. She was then forced into a vehicle, driven towards the Cheela canal near Rishikesh, and pushed into the waters.

Arya then returned to the resort and filed a missing complaint report - one that would later expose him.

Ankita's friends and family grew suspicious quickly. Her close friend Pushp said she had phoned him the same night, distressed over being asked to provide "special services" to resort guests — this became central to the motive of murder. He revealed that after 8:30 pm, her phone went silent.

Pushp reached out to Arya directly, who told him Ankita had gone to her room. By morning, Arya's phone was also unreachable. Staff members gave conflicting reports about her — some said she was at the gym, others said they hadn't seen her.

Pushp immediately contacted the police urging a criminal investigation. Soon after the police took over - the case was initially handled by a patwari or revenue officer as the area where the resort is located fell outside the jurisdiction of the regular police - the case rapidly escalated.

On September 24, six days after she was last seen, Ankita's body was recovered from the canal. A post-mortem conducted at AIIMS Rishikesh confirmed she had drowned — but it also noted injuries consistent with blunt force trauma. Viscera analysis ruled out sexual assault.

The news ignited public anger. Locals attacked the police vehicle carrying the accused. Protesters in Bhogpur ransacked the resort and accused authorities of protecting the culprits because of Arya's political background. The state acted swiftly — the resort was bulldozed overnight after being declared illegal.

The political fallout was immediate. Pulkit Arya's father, BJP leader Vinod Arya, was expelled from the party. His defence for his son - 'Seedha sadha balak hai' - drew widespread backlash. Soon after, Vinod Arya was also accused in a separate case involving his former driver, who alleged assault and attempted sodomy.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that the trial would be held in a fast-track court. A SIT, led by IPS officer Renuka Devi, was formed. The government also announced a ₹25 lakh compensation for Ankita's family.

Two audio recordings helped crack the case. In one, Pushp questions Arya about the night Ankita disappeared. Arya responds: "Her phone had run out of battery and there was no need for me to keep my phone for the night. So I gave it to her when she asked for it." Pushp then confronts Arya: "So, she did have a phone last night. Yet, it's surprising that she never contacted me. In fact, I called her thrice, but her phone was switched off."

Investigators later believed Arya had hoped the body wouldn't be found — and that suspicion would fall on Pushp instead. Ankita's phone was never recovered.

The charge sheet, over 500 pages long, included over 100 witnesses and pieces of digital evidence. Prosecutors argued that Ankita was targeted because she resisted their efforts to exploit her. The trial concluded in May 2025. On May 30, Pulkit Arya, Saurabh Bhaskar, and Ankit Gupta were all found guilty of murder.