Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut slammed the Maharashtra govt over the rape-murder of a 4-year-old in Nasrapur. He held the 'useless' govt responsible for poor law and order, questioning CM Fadnavis's focus on poll-bound states over Maharashtra.
Raut holds Maha govt 'responsible'
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Raut stressed that the criminals should "fear the law", while questioning Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over his visits to poll-bound states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and West Bengal, alleging that he was neglecting serious issues within Maharashtra. "A 4-year-old girl was raped in this state. Criminals should fear the law. This government is responsible for this. The government is busy with VIP security and spends a month each touring Tamil Nadu, Keralam, Assam, and Bengal. Who will look after things here?" said Raut.
'Can you buy a mother's emotions?'
The Shiv Sena (UBT) MP further intensified his attack on the Maharashtra government, referring to the 'Ladli Behna Scheme' and questioning its sensitivity towards victims and their families. He alleged that the mother of the victim could also be a beneficiary of the scheme, and asked whether the government could "buy emotions" of the victim's mother for Rs 1,500. Terming the state government as "useless" and "incompetent," Raut strongly criticised the administration over its handling of law and order in the state. "Perhaps the mother of the child who was raped and murdered could be this government's own 'Ladli Behna'. Can you buy that mother's emotions for Rs 1,500? The real accused is this government, which is useless and incompetent. What is the police doing there? What is happening in this country? The Constitution is being violated. And you are lathi-charging the public who came out carrying that child's dead body," said Raut.
Accused remanded, has prior criminal record
Meanwhile, in the Nasrapur case, a 65-year-old man accused of raping and murdering a four-year-old girl has been remanded to police custody till May 7 by the Judicial Magistrate First Class Court in Pune. The incident triggered widespread outrage, with protesters blocking the Pune-Bengaluru highway demanding strict action against the accused. According to Pune Rural Police, the accused allegedly lured the minor with food to a shed, where he sexually assaulted and murdered her. Police confirmed that the girl went missing earlier, following which her family launched a search and CCTV footage later showed the accused with the child. Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill said the accused was arrested within an hour of receiving information and has previous criminal records, including a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case registered in 2015. Speaking with ANI, SP Gill said, "The accused is a 65-year-old man who lives in the surrounding area. He lured the girl and did this...We arrested the accused within an hour of receiving information...The accused has two similar cases registered against him, including a POCSO case in 2015. Investigation reveals that he is of this tendency."
Protests erupt, police assure fast-tracked probe
Following the incident, hundreds of villagers gathered in large numbers at a police chowki and blocked the highway, demanding justice, prompting police to use mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd. Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandipsingh Gill reached the spot and assured the public that the case will be fast-tracked and the accused has been booked under POSCO and other relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
