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Murder of 14-year-old girl in Pune: Main suspect arrested; 4 in custody
While two minors were detained late on Tuesday, the main suspect, 22-year-old Hrishikesh, alias Shubham Bhagwat, was arrested from Bibwewadi, a Pune police official said on Wednesday on the murder case
PUNE The police have arrested four persons for the violent murder of a 14-year-old girl in Bibwewadi on Tuesday.
While two minors were detained late on Tuesday, the main suspect, 22-year-old Hrishikesh, alias Shubham Bhagwat, was apprehended from the Bibwewadi area where he was trying to hide, a police official said on Wednesday.
Bhagwat, who was stalking the victim, and two of his accomplices, allegedly hacked the Class 8 student to death with a sickle at a playground where she was practicisng kabaddi on Tuesday.
“We have arrested four persons which include three juveniles in conflict with the law who were detained last night,” said Namrata Patil, deputy commissioner of police (Zone V)
Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has asked the police to ensure the suspects are given the harshest punishment for the crime, which according to him was an, “indication of the overall deterioration of social values”.
“The incident is extremely serious. I have asked the police to take all possible efforts and ensure that the suspects are awarded the harshest punishment,” said Pawar.
Police officers said that Bhagwat, a relative of the victim, was allegedly stalking her for months, and reached the playground along with two other friends on Tuesday evening.
He then took the girl aside. An argument ensued and Bhagwat pulled out a sickle from his bag and hacked her to death.
“The girl was at a playground where local groups hold kabaddi practices and fitness classes for children. Three people, including a 22-year-old man, came on a bike and attacked the girl with a sharp weapon. The attack was so brutal that the girl died on the spot,” DCP Patil had said after the incident.
The other two, according to police, were also carrying sharp weapons and assaulted the girl.
Police said the attack unfolded in front of the victim’s friends and others who came for an evening walk.
Police also recovered a toy pistol from the spot, which was allegedly used to scare off the victim’s friends.
Police said Shubham was staying at the victim’s house with her family in the Bibwewadi area, when he began stalking her.
“Shubham was stalking her for some time though after knowing about this, the girl’s parents had warned him to leave their house and he went to stay in another area at Chinchwad,” said Sunil Zaware, senior police inspector, Bibwewadi police station.
