Ankita Bhandari Case: Victim was being pressurised into prostitution; top cop makes big revelations

New Delhi: In an update on the shocking murder of Ankita Bhandari in Uttarakhand, WhatsApp text messages from the victim sent to her friend appear to confirm allegations that the teenager was being forced into prostitution by the accused. "They are trying to turn me into a prostitute," read one of her messages to a friend, in a conversation where is describing her work experiences at the senior BJP leader's son's resort, as reported by NDTV.

In the messages, Ankita describes the manner in which she was being forced to provide "special services" to clients for Rs 10,000. According to police sources, initial investigations indicate the messages are indeed from the victim, but a more rigorous forensic investigation is also being conducted, reported NDTV.

The victim also details to her friend how a man at the resort inappropriately touched her and upon complaining she was told by the accused not to do anything as he was drunk. Another audio clip which appears to be from Ankita to another resort employee where she is heard crying and asking for her bag to be brought upstairs reported NDTV.

Uttarakhand senior police officer Ashok Kumar has also said that the 19-year-old receptionist, whose body was fished out of a canal this morning, was being pressured by the resort owner to provide "special services" to guests.

Pulkit Arya son of BJP leader Vinod Arya has been arrested for the victims murder at the resort which he owns near Rishikesh, in Pauri district. Besides Pulkit Arya, resort manager Saurabh Bhaskar and assistant manager Ankit Gupta have been arrested. They confessed to the crime during questioning, as reported by NDTV.