Pune 3-year-old's rape-murder: Protesters block Mumbai-Bengaluru highway
What's the story
Traffic on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway was severely disrupted on Saturday due to protests in Pune, Maharashtra. The protests were triggered by the rape and murder of a 3-and-a-half-year-old girl in Bhor taluka's Nasrapur village. Hundreds of people blocked the highway, leading to massive traffic jams and prompting Pune traffic police to issue advisories for motorists to avoid certain routes, according to Hindustan Times.
Protest details
Protest was peaceful till demonstrators tried to block highway
The girl's body was placed on the ground by her family members and other protesters in the Navale Bridge area. They demanded strict punishment for the accused, a 65-year-old man arrested by police for sexually assaulting and killing the girl in a cow shed. The protest was peaceful until demonstrators tried to block the highway, leading to police intervention to disperse them.
Accused's confession
Accused has previous molestation cases registered under POCSO Act
The accused allegedly lured the child into a cattle shed on the pretext of showing her a calf, where he sexually assaulted and killed her. Some reports suggests the accused lured the child with food. He had previous cases of molestation registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in 1998 and 2015. Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill said, "He is an elderly man with a similar pattern of behavior."
Legal proceedings
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis demands capital punishment for accused
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned the incident and demanded capital punishment for the accused. Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar assured the girl's family of stringent action and a fast-track trial. The Rajgadh police station has registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 137(2), 103,64,74,140 (a), 140(c), and sections 4, 6, 8 and 12 of the POCSO Act. A sessions court in Pune has remanded the accused to police custody till May 7.