3-old rape, murder in Pune: Hundreds block Bengaluru highway; family demands death for 65-year-old accused

A massive protest was held over the alleged rape and murder of a three-and-a-half-year-old girl in the Pune district. Police identified the accused as a 65-year-old man who had two similar cases registered against him. Police and a forensic team are on the scene, and an investigation is underway.

Here's all you need to know about the Pune rape and murder case:

1. Pune Rural Police SP Sandeep Singh Gill said a three-and-a-half-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted and murdered by a 65-year-old man in a village in Pune district.

He said the accused lives in the girl's neighbourhood. "He [accused] lured the girl and did this...We arrested the accused within an hour of receiving information...," Gill said.

He added, “The accused has two similar cases registered against him, including a POCSO case in 2015. Investigation reveals that he is of this tendency...”

2. People blocked the Pune-Bengaluru highway on Saturday as they held a protest over the Pune minor rape and murder case. A video showed a snarl of traffic on the highway.

The protests continued in Pune on Sunday, with protesters demanding capital punishment for the accused.

Shiv Sena women workers held protests over the incident. Shiv Sena leader Sarika Pawar said, "We are the leaders of Shiv Sena, but as women, we keep the politics aside... and see that this injustice done with a 3-year-old is beyond the toleration level."

"The accused should only be hanged, and we demand that this be done on a fast-track basis... None of the party or ruling side promotes crime and injustice... Shiv Sena's agenda is to raise a voice against the injustice, and we will raise our voice for the safety of women," Sarika Pawar said.

3. The father of the victim said, "... My family and I have only one request: until my daughter gets justice and the criminal is hanged, no politician should come to our home to meet us. This is our humble request."

"Only when that criminal is given the death penalty will we meet politicians or anyone who wishes to meet us. Until then, no politician should come to my house to offer condolences...," said in a video message.

4. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni termed the incident "very tragic and also named the accused as Bhimarao Kambale. She said she spoke with the victim's mother.

"I'm just returning from a meeting with her. She is very angry...In my conversation with the mother, she said she wants to see the accused killed, and this is exactly her expectation," Kulkarni said.

She added, "May this expectation be fulfilled soon, as demands for the death penalty are coming from everywhere, and such cases are being heard repeatedly from various places..."

"A good lawyer, a public prosecutor, is needed to ensure the death penalty is carried out quickly. All provisions are being made by the government," Kulkarni said.

Shiv Sena MLC Neelam Gore was also quoted by IANS as saying, "There is a strong demand for capital punishment for the accused, and the family is understandably very distressed..."

5. NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar also reacted to the incident, saying, "The accused has been to jail twice, been released on bail twice, and the third time, he did this, torturing and killing the 3.5-year-old daughter." He spoke about introducing the "Shakti Act".

Pawar said, "The law here needs to be changed because the current law has many lacunae...Therefore, it is very important to introduce the Shakti Act. From the Women's Commission to the Child Commission, apolitical leaders should be appointed there..."

"Therefore, when the government makes a demand for capital punishment, only then can the criminal be given capital punishment or the death penalty," Rohit Pawar said.

6. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the government must be held responsible for the incident.

"...criminals in this state harbour no fear of the law or of the government. People arrive from various places, settle down, and commit such heinous acts," Raut told the media.

"If anyone is to be held responsible for this, it is this government, specifically the State Home Minister, who also happens to be the Chief Minister," Raut said.

"The entire police force and the entire law-and-order machinery are entangled in political manoeuvring and preoccupied with providing VIP security. The Chief Minister spends entire months campaigning for assembly elections, travelling to Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Assam...," Raut said.

7. Earlier in the day, police security was deployed at the Vaikunth Dham Crematorium ahead of the last rites of the victim in the Nasrapur minor rape and murder case. The 65-year-old accused in the case has been sent to Police custody till May 7 by the Judicial Magistrate First Class Court of Pune, Maharashtra.

8. Amid protests and road blockades, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday assured that the government will push for a death penalty for the accused and the trial will be fast-tracked to ensure justice in "record time".

Devendra Fadnavis said, "I personally spoke to the victim’s father twice yesterday. I explained to him that our objective is to ensure that the accused is awarded the death penalty."

"For this, we are taking all necessary steps through the High Court to fast-track the filing of the charge sheet and the trial of the case. Our effort is to complete the entire process in record time…We will ensure that there are no legal loopholes that could be misused…We have also given a written assurance to the victim’s family that the case will be expedited in the court...," Fadnavis said.

He added, “The incident is extremely serious, and public anger is natural and justified. However, some people are trying to take advantage of the situation and divert it in a different direction. I thank the victim’s father for understanding the situation. After discussions with the Commissioner of Police, he decided to call off the protest.”

"Unfortunately, some people were trying to stop him as well. We are aware of who those individuals are, but we do not wish to act on that right now... we stand firmly with the family. We will also investigate whether the accused has any prior criminal record and whether there were any lapses earlier in handling such cases," Devendra Fadnavis said.

9. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to probe the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Pune district of Maharashtra, which has sparked massive outrage. A Pune Police officer said an SIT comprising six police officers, including two women, has been set up to probe the crime.

"We will add more officers and personnel depending on the course of the investigation. The team will thoroughly probe the case," he said on Sunday.

10. The accused was remanded to police custody till May 7.