Police disperse people blocking Pune-Bengaluru highway during protests
PUNE: The Bhor-Rajgadh belt of western Maharashtra’s Pune district came to a standstill on Sunday after the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl sparked public outrage and her family refused to meet politicians until the 65-year-old accused was sentenced to death.Shops remained closed as residents of Nasrapur village in Bhor taluka called a union to protest against the crime. The accused, a laborer in the village and a father of seven, has been arrested and is said to be a habitual offender in child abuse cases.The girl went missing Friday afternoon. After a frantic search, the family found a neighbor’s CCTV, which showed the defendant taking the child to a cowshed about 700m away and discovering her body under a pile of cow dung.Tensions spread throughout the region. Protesters tried to block traffic at the Khed Shivapur toll plaza before police intervened. The previous night, protesters and victims’ families blocked the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway near the Wadgaon Bridge for more than four hours, demanding firm assurances from the state government.The child’s father said in the video that his family will not meet with any politicians until the defendant is sentenced to death. Earlier in the day, several politicians visited the family, while minister Madhuri Misal and Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange canceled their plans following appeals from the family.Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said public anger was understandable but warned against trying to take advantage of the situation. He said he had spoken with the victim’s father and given written assurances that the government would pursue the death penalty. “The case will be heard in fast-track courts and the process will be expedited,” he said, adding that demands for public executions could not be met. Fadnavis added: “While everyone wants the accused to be publicly hanged, such a thing cannot happen in a democracy that operates under the law.”Allegations of police fighting during Saturday night’s protests drew criticism. “…This should not happen,” said Medha Kulkarni, a BJP official. Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal accused the authorities of trying to silence voices seeking justice.
