Pune police on Monday issued a clarification regarding social media posts alleging a lathi-charge during a protest at Navale bridge linked to the shocking Nasrapur case, stating that only “mild force” was used to disperse an unyielding crowd.
A three-and-a-half-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted and murdered by a 65-year-old man with a criminal record in Bhor tehsil on May 1, sparking massive outrage and protests.
According to the police, officials were in constant communication with the victim’s family. By Saturday evening, the family, reassured by written assurances from the administration, had expressed willingness to end the protest. However, a large gathering at Navale bridge reportedly refused to call off the agitation despite repeated appeals from authorities. After securing the family’s consent, police accompanied them, along with the ambulance carrying the deceased, to Vaikunth crematorium under protection.
Police said that as some protesters continued to block the road, they were dispersed using minimal and controlled force to clear the obstruction. Navale Bridge, a key junction on the national highway, had remained blocked for over four hours, leading to a traffic jam stretching more than 15 km.