Pune kidnapping: 21-year-old girl abducted after accused attack family

Published : Feb 18, 2026, 10:00 AM IST
Representative Image (File Photo/ANI)

Synopsis

A 21-year-old girl was kidnapped in Pune by two men who threw chutney in her family's eyes. The accused, Zahir and Ayaan Sheikh, are now the subject of a district-wide police search following public protests demanding their immediate arrest.

A 21-year old girl was kidnapped in Pune by two men while she was with her mother and brother, triggering strong public reactions and protests, a senior police official said on Wednesday. A case has been registered at Bhigwan Police Station under Pune rural police in Pune district last night.

Police Detail the Abduction

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Pune Rural Police, Ganesh Biradar said that the accused, who has been identified as Zahir Haroon Sheikh and Ayaan Haroon Sheikh, stopped their bikes and threw red chutney into the eyes of the mother and brother of the victim and kidnapped her. A district-wide nakabandi has been imposed after the incident to search for and arrest the accused individuals. "A case of kidnapping has been registered at Bhigwan Police Station last night ... In this case, two youths, identified as Zahir Haroon Sheikh and Ayaan Haroon Sheikh, allegedly stopped a bike and threw red chutney into the eyes of a 21-year-old woman's mother and brother, who were with her. They then kidnapped the 21-year-old woman. Following the incident, a district-wide nakabandi has been imposed, surveillance has been intensified at several toll checkpoints, and police teams have been deployed to search for the accused," he stated.

Public Outrage and Protests

The incident has sparked outrage among locals. On Tuesday night, people came out onto the roads and staged a protest on the Pune-Solapur Highway, demanding immediate action and the arrest of the accused.

Investigation and Search Operation Underway

The police officials said multiple teams from Pune Rural Police are conducting searches, while security has been tightened across the district to trace the accused at the earliest. Further investigation is underway. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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