Pune: Child Rape-Murder Sparks Highway Protests, Accused Arrested

Massive public outrage and protests erupted in Pune, Maharashtra, following the brutal sexual assault and murder of a 3.5 to 4-year-old girl in Nasrapur village, Bhor taluka. On Saturday, May 2, 2026, hundreds of demonstrators, including the victim's family, blocked the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway near the Navale Bridge and Wadgaon Bridge areas, bringing traffic to a complete standstill for several hours and causing significant disruption. The heinous crime took place on Friday, May 1, 2026. The accused, identified as 65-year-old Bhimrao Kamble, a local farm labourer, allegedly lured the child by promising her food or to show her a calf. He then took her to a nearby cowshed, where he sexually assaulted her and subsequently killed her by hitting her with a stone. To conceal the gruesome act, Kamble reportedly hid the child's body under a heap of cow dung. The incident came to light when the girl went missing in the afternoon. After an unsuccessful search by her grandparents and other villagers, the police were alerted. CCTV footage from a private residence in the area played a crucial role, showing the accused leading the child. This evidence quickly led to Kamble's identification and arrest by the Pune rural police within an hour of receiving information. He was apprehended near a riverbed area. The protests on the highway were fueled by the shock and anger over the crime, coupled with revelations about the accused's past. Police Superintendent (Pune Rural) Sandeep Singh Gill confirmed that Kamble has a criminal history, with previous molestation cases registered against him in 1998 and a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in 2015, although he was acquitted in the 2015 case in 2019. Demonstrators on the highway demanded stringent punishment for Kamble, including the death penalty, and called for Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to personally address the situation at the protest site. While the sit-in was initially peaceful, it escalated when protesters attempted to fully block the busy highway. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers to control the crowd, and mild lathi-charge was reportedly used to disperse the agitated citizens and clear the road. The victim's last rites were performed shortly after midnight on Saturday amidst tight police security. Political leaders have swiftly condemned the incident and assured the public of strict action. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the incident as "shocking" and stated that the state government would pursue a fast-track court trial to ensure the accused receives capital punishment. Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar met with the victim's family, offering condolences and reiterating the government's commitment to delivering swift justice and a fast-track trial. Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule also denounced the "inhuman" act and called for the harshest possible punishment for the accused, while urging the public to maintain restraint. The Pune rural police have registered a case against Bhimrao Kamble under various sections of the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the POCSO Act, 2012. He was produced before a special court in Pune and remanded to police custody until May 7 for further investigation. Authorities have assured that a chargesheet will be filed within 15 days to expedite the judicial process. The tragic event has deeply shaken the community and highlighted persistent issues of child safety and justice in India. This incident is distinct from a related but separate case in Chakan, Pune, where a 3-year-old boy was also sexually assaulted and murdered around the same time, leading to another arrest. The widespread outrage underscores the public's demand for immediate and severe justice in such horrific crimes against minors. The ongoing investigation aims to gather concrete evidence for a watertight case to ensure maximum punishment.

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