A 10-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered in Maharashtra's Pune district, triggering widespread anger among local residents and the victim's family, according to reports.
Police have arrested 25-year-old Sahil Khaire, a neighbour of the victim, in connection with the case. According to the police, the accused allegedly took advantage of his familiarity with the child, who was a student of class 4, and lured her away while her parents were not at home in the Pimpalvandi area of Junnar, NDTV reported.
The girl, who belonged to a family of farm labourers, had reportedly stayed home from school on Tuesday because she was feeling unwell. Police suspect that she was sexually assaulted during the afternoon while she was alone at home before being strangled to death, the report stated.
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The girl was reported missing after her family could not find her at home. Relatives and villagers launched a search, while a missing person's complaint was filed at the Alephata police station.
According to the police, Khaire also joined the search for the missing girl, but his conduct reportedly raised suspicions during the investigation. Police examined CCTV footage from the area and allegedly spotted a man riding a bicycle. When questioned about the footage, Khaire reportedly admitted that he was the person in the footage. Police said sustained questioning subsequently led to his alleged confession, following which he was promptly arrested, the report added.
The police recovered the girl's body from beneath a tree in the Lende Sthal area. The body was sent for post-mortem examination, while forensic personnel examined the scene and collected evidence, NDTV reported, based on the information provided during the investigation. Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill, Sub-Divisional Officer Dhananjay Patil and Police Inspector Vishwas Jadhav visited the location and reviewed the investigation.
The incident triggered intense anger in Pimpalvandi and surrounding areas, with residents demanding the harshest possible punishment for the accused if found guilty. Villagers and members of the girl's family staged a blockade on the Pune-Nashik Highway to protest the crime and press for swift justice.
The protestors demanded that the accused be sentenced to death and submitted a memorandum to administrative official Sachin Mundhe. They also issued a 15 day ultimatum, warning that they would intensify their agitation if concrete action was not taken during that period.
SP Sandeep Singh Gill visited the spot on the night of the incident, where agitated villagers reportedly confronted him and reiterated their demand for justice and stringent punishment for the accused, NDTV reported.
Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar described the incident as extremely unfortunate and a matter of shame for humanity, NDTV reported. She spoke with SP Gill over the phone to seek the details of the investigation and directed the police administration to conduct a transparent and thorough probe.
Sunetra Pawar also stated that she would request Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to ensure that the case is heard in a fast-track court so that the proceedings can be completed swiftly and punishment can follow if the accused is convicted. She further stated that the government stands with the victim's family and indicated that she would visit Pimpalvandi to meet them.
As per the current status, the investigation remains underway, with police awaiting the post-mortem findings and examining forensic and other evidence collected during the probe, NDTV reported.
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