Pune police have announced a substantial reward of ten lakh rupees for information leading to the identification and arrest of the suspects involved in the recent sexual assault of a young woman at Bopdev Ghat.

In an effort to expedite the investigation, authorities are leveraging advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. As part of the ongoing investigation, police have compiled data from approximately three thousand mobile phone users who were present in the Bopdev Ghat area at the time of the incident.

CCTV footage is currently under review, and police have interrogated over 200 individuals considered potential suspects.

The disturbing incident occurred on the evening of October 3, when the young woman and her friend were out for a walk. During their outing, three assailants threatened them with a knife, using bamboo sticks to inflict injuries.

Following the attack, the assailants restrained the young man with his shirt and belt, and proceeded to sexually assault the young woman. The Pune police's crime branch, along with dedicated investigation teams, are actively working to track down the perpetrators.

In a significant development, Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjan Kumar Sharma stated that the identity of any informant providing information about the suspects will be kept confidential. In addition to collecting mobile user data and CCTV footage, AI technology is being employed for technical analysis of the evidence gathered thus far.

The police are also conducting thorough searches in Pune, Solapur, and surrounding districts in hopes of apprehending the suspects. “We are committed to ensuring that the culprits are caught and brought to justice promptly,” said Sharma.

To assist in the search for the suspects, the police dog squad has been deployed to the crime scene. They have successfully located bamboo used in the assault and traces of blood.

“We have seized blood samples and other evidence from the scene, which has been sent for forensic analysis,” Sharma confirmed.