Pune: An autopsy report released on Tuesday has confirmed that a four-year-old girl, who was sexually assaulted and murdered in Pune last week, died of asphyxia. Police officials revealed that the 65-year-old accused allegedly gagged the young victim by stuffing a cloth into her mouth, leading to fatal suffocation. The tragic incident occurred on May 1 at Narsapur in the Bhor tehsil of Pune district, where the child was reportedly lured away with the promise of food before being taken to a cattle enclosure. The post-mortem findings not only identified the cause of death but also documented several other injuries on the child’s body, underscoring the extreme brutality of the attack.
The accused, a local labourer, was quickly apprehended and faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Investigation into his background has revealed a troubling criminal history, including previous molestation charges in 1998 and 2015, though he was acquitted in both instances. This latest crime has sparked intense local outrage, with hundreds of villagers staging protests and blockading the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway last week to demand immediate and severe justice. Even the family of the accused has publicly distanced themselves from him, joined by the community in calling for the strictest possible punishment.
In response to the public outcry and the severity of the crime, the Maharashtra government has established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to lead a thorough inquiry. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed the situation on Sunday, assuring the public that the state will advocate for the death penalty. He emphasized that the government is committed to fast-tracking the legal proceedings to ensure that the trial is completed in record time, providing a sense of closure to the grieving family. Authorities continue to gather evidence to build a robust case as the region remains on high alert following the significant civil unrest triggered by the tragedy.
