Pune: Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis praised Pune Police for their dedication, noting that they had initially had no strong leads, but their efforts have resulted in the arrest of suspects involved in the Bopdev Ghat gang-rape case.
The case involves a young college student who was gang-raped on October 3 while she was out for a walk with her friend in Bopdev Ghat.
Pune police made substantial progress after questioning 450 known criminals from 40 villages. One individual has been arrested, and two more have been detained in Nagpur as part of the investigation. Fadnavis announced the latest updates while inaugurating seven new police stations in Pune.
The police, led by Commissioner Amitesh Kumar and a team of over 700 officers, conducted a thorough investigation by questioning 450 individuals with prior criminal records in the areas surrounding Bopdev Ghat.
Many of those questioned had histories of serious crimes such as robbery, molestation, and rape, particularly in the hill and ghat areas of Pune district.
With the help of CCTV footage from the Yewalewadi area, one suspect was detained locally, and two others who had fled were located and detained in Nagpur.
The investigation faced challenges due to the remote location and weak mobile network in the Bopdev Ghat area. However, the police gathered data from 50,000 mobile users who had passed through the area over the past 15 days.
Technical analysis and a review of CCTV footage from areas within a 70-80 kilometer radius helped lead to the arrests. The police suspect that the accused fled via the Saswad route after committing the crime.
In addition to investigating the gang-rape case, police also expanded their efforts to question suspects involved in previous serious crimes, such as robbery and molestation, in Pune’s major hill and ghat areas.
They visited 40 villages near Bopdev Ghat, inspecting dhabas, liquor vendors, and other establishments. CCTV footage from hotels along the roadside was also reviewed, though visibility limitations created some obstacles. Rural police teams from Saswad and Rajgad police stations also provided assistance in the investigation.
Home Minister Fadnavis commended the Pune police for their relentless efforts, stating, "Despite not having any initial clues, Pune police have successfully apprehended the suspects involved in the Bopdev Ghat gang-rape case. Their work has been remarkable."