Uttarakhand: BJP leader's son arrested for murder of receptionist at his resort

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader's son has been arrested for allegedly killing a 19-year-old woman working as a receptionist at a resort he owns in Pauri district’s Yamkeshwar block. Two employees at his resort were also arrested in connection with the murder of the woman who had had been missing for the last few days, police said.

The accused was identified as Pulkit Arya, son of Vinod Arya, a BJP leader from Haridwar, news agency PTI reported. Vinod Arya is also a former chairman of Uttarakhand Mati Kala Board. He has been granted a state minister's rank but currently does not hold any post in the Uttarakhand government. 

Apart from resort owner Pulkit Arya, two others - manager Saurabh Bhaskar and assistant manager Ankit Gupta - have been arrested after confessing to have killed the missing girl and thrown her body into the Cheela Canal, PTI reported citing Pauri Additional Superintendent of Police Shekhar Chandra Suyal.

The accused had initially tried to mislead the police but made the confession after stern interrogation, the ASP was reported to have said. Search is underway for the victim’s body. The police said the case was cracked within 24 hours after it was transferred to regular police from the revenue police.

The three persons arrested have been sent to 14-day judicial custody by a Kotdwar court, police further informed. The woman’s parents had filed a missing report at the revenue police outpost on Monday morning after being unable to find her in her room. 

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(With inputs from PTI)