Locals staged a massive protest in Maharashtra's Pune district on Saturday over the sexual assault-murder of a four-year-old girl by a 65-year-old man. The locals, who staged a blockade on the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway, demanded that strict action must be taken against the accused, who has now been arrested by the police.
According to the police, the incident happened in a village in Bhor tehsil on Friday after the accused lured the victim by promising her food. He took her to a shed in a cattle enclosure and exploited her sexually before murdering her.
After the girl went missing, her family members launched a search. Later, they scanned a CCTV footage from a private residence in which they saw the accused with the girl, which led to his arrest. As per the police, the accused worked as a labourer and has a criminal background.
Case registered, police promise speedy action
Promising speedy action against the accused, the police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Additionally, locals have been assured that the case will be fast-tracked and chargesheet will be filed within 15 days.
"The accused has a criminal history, with cases registered against him in 1998 and 2015. He was subsequently acquitted in both instances. He is a labourer and typically wanders around the village and occasionally takes up jobs," Pune (Rural) Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sandip Singh Gill was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Oppn attacks Maharashtra govt
The opposition has attacked the Maharashtra government over the incident and termed it "extremely outrageous", with NCP(SP) leader Anil Deshmukh demanding a death sentence for the accused. He also alleged that crimes against women are rising in Maharashtra in Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' tenure.
He also accused the state and the Centre over the approval of the Shakti Act, which was passed by the state legislature in 2020 and sent to the Centre for the President's assent. He said the President subsequently sent it back. "Had this strong law been in force, this monster (the accused) would have received the death penalty within 15 days," he said.
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