Teenage Girl Murdered in India, Ruling Party Politician Involved... Protests Erupt

Politician's Son-Owned Resort Female Worker Murdered
Allegations of Delayed Investigation and Evidence Tampering

Protests continue among residents of Rishikesh over the Indian woman's question. The photo is an archive image showing residents lined up at a train station in Mumbai, India.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Juri] Public opinion is stirring as thousands have taken to the streets to protest amid allegations that a ruling party politician's family is involved in a murder case that occurred in India.

According to local media such as The Hindu on the 26th (local time), the body of 19-year-old Ankita Bandari was found near the Ganges River bridge in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand state, northern India, on the 24th.

Bandari, who worked at the reception corner of a resort, had been missing for six days, and the police stated that she was murdered and then dumped in a waterway.

The police arrested Pulkit Aria, the owner of the resort, and the manager on charges of murder.

After it was revealed that Aria is the son of Vinod Aria, a ruling party politician from the Bharatiya Janata Party who served as the state minister, opposition parties and local media raised concerns about delayed investigation and possible evidence tampering.

In response, residents have been holding intense protests demanding a fair investigation and justice. The police have decided to demolish the resort following the incident.

Thousands of residents blocked the highway and clashed with the police, and protests also took place near the morgue where Bandari's body was kept.

Bandari's father raised doubts about the autopsy results of his daughter, claiming that "the police have tampered with the evidence."

Opposition leader Priyanka Gandhi also questioned on social media, stating, "The girl's relatives are asking why evidence is being destroyed."

In response, local police moved to calm the situation. Shekhar Suyal, a police official in Kotdwar, said, "No evidence has been destroyed," adding that all rooms in the resort were photographed and forensic evidence was collected. He emphasized, "We have secured evidence to prove guilt."

Meanwhile, the ruling party is taking urgent measures, including expelling former state minister Vinod Aria, the father of the suspect.