The father of the four-year-old girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted and murdered in Nasrapur in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Sunday made an appeal to political leaders, as he seeks justice for his daughter.
The father, who said he was in Dehu to immerse his daughter’s remains, requested that no condolence visits be made to his home until justice is served and the death penalty is issued to the accused. “We are currently in Dehu to immerse my daughter’s ashes. During this time, my relatives and friends informed me that many politicians were visiting our house to offer condolences etc,” he said, according to ANI.
“I want to make a humble request on behalf of my family and myself that until my daughter gets justice and the accused is sentenced to death, no politician should come to our house to meet us,” he added.
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The incident took place in Pur Tehsil area of Pune district on Friday (May 1), when a 65-year-old man lured the four-year-old little girl with the promise of food. He then took her to a cattle shed where he allegedly sexually assaulted her and later killed her by hitting her with a rock, news agency PTI quoted police as saying.
The victim’s father also said that the family would be “open to meeting” people, including politicians, only after “justice is served.” “Until then, we ask that no visits be made to offer condolences,” he added in the video he made himself.
The accused, who lived in the area around a village in Pune district, was arrested. Pune Rural Police Superintendent Sandeep Singh Gill said the accused, a labourer, already had two similar cases against him, including a POCSO case.
State government assures justice, protesters block Mumbai-Bengaluru highway
Even as the incident sparked outrage, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted that the state government would seek death penalty for the accused.
While speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a program in Nagpur, Fadnavis said he had spoken to the victim’s family and assured that the case would be heard through a fast-track court “in record time”.
“I spoke twice with the victim’s father and told him that we will work to impose the death penalty on the accused. Accordingly, we will expedite the case and complete it in record time,” he said, according to PTI.
Hundreds of people blocked the Mumbai-Bengaluru Expressway in Pune on Saturday, disrupting traffic for nearly four hours. Several videos have surfaced on social media showing huge traffic congestion on the highway.
The accused was arrested based on surveillance camera footage taken from a private residence. A case has been registered against the 65-year-old under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. He has been remanded in police custody until May 7.
