Pune

A shocking crime in Pune district has sparked outrage across Maharashtra. On May 1, a four-year-old girl visiting Nasrapur for her summer holidays was brutally raped and murdered, allegedly by a 65-year-old man.

Police said the accused lured the child to some cattle shed with food, assaulted her, and then killed her with a stone before hiding her body under dung. CCTV footage helped police quickly arrest the suspect, who has prior molestation charges from 1998 and 2015.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned the crime as a “blot on humanity” and vowed to seek the death penalty. He directed Pune Rural Police to build a watertight case and announced that the trial will be held in a Fast-Track Court. Extra police patrolling has been ordered in Bhor to restore public confidence.

Opposition leaders strongly criticised the government’s handling of law and order. NCP’s Supriya Sule called the incident “inhuman” and demanded justice without political interference. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar questioned how a repeat offender was free, saying the “fear of law has vanished.” Shiv Sena MP Jyoti Waghmare and BJP legislator Chitra Wagh also demanded the harshest punishment.

The crime has shaken Nasrapur. Hundreds of villagers blocked the Pune-Satara Highway on Friday night, demanding the accused be handed over to them. A complete shutdown was observed in Nasrapur and nearby villages on Saturday, with residents calling for a speedy trial and the hanging of the culprit within a month.