Pune minor rape-murder case: Navale Bridge traffic paralysed by massive public protest | VIDEO

Mumbai/ Pune: Massive traffic congestion gripped the area near Navale Bridge on Saturday as grieving kin and hundreds of villagers blocked the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway. The protest followed the brutal rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Bhor tehsil, with demonstrators demanding immediate and stringent action against the perpetrator.

The atmosphere in Bhor was charged with outrage as villagers rushed to the local police outpost. The subsequent blockade on the highway led to significant disruption for commuters. To disperse the crowd and clear the arterial road, Pune police were forced to use a mild lathi charge. The victim’s family joined the masses in seeking justice for the toddler, whose life was cut short on Friday.

Details of the Nasrapur horror

A 65-year-old labourer, who reportedly has a prior criminal record, has been arrested in connection with the crime. Police reports indicate the accused lured the four-year-old girl with the promise of food. He then allegedly took her to a cattle enclosure where he sexually assaulted her. The child was subsequently killed after being hit with a stone.

Shinde orders fast-track prosecution

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has intervened, directing the Pune Rural police to assemble concrete evidence to build a watertight case. Shinde stated that the trial must be conducted in a fast-track court to ensure swift justice. A statement quoting the Deputy Chief Minister confirmed his directive to ensure the accused receives the death penalty. "Efforts should be made to ensure the accused is hanged," the statement noted. Following his arrest, the accused was produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class Court in Pune, which has remanded him to police custody until 7 May.