5 days ago
17-yr-old girl sexually assaulted on Pune-Solapur Highway: Police arrest two suspects, to be produced in court today
Pune rural police arrested two suspects in the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl on the Pune-Solapur highway which took place in the early hours of June 30. Three women who had been travelling in a car with the victim were robbed as well.
'We have arrested two suspects in the case from different locations in Pune district. We are investigating their criminal history. The two will be produced before a court tomorrow (June 6) where their custody for further probe will be sought.' said an officer from Pune Rural police. The officer identified the two suspects as Sameer Pathan alias Lucky (25) and Vikas Satpute (28).
The incident took place when seven people from three families, incuding the teen and the three other women, were on their way to the temple town of Pandharpur in Solapur district. The seven knew each other as they were all from the same village in Pune District.
Two 17-year-old boys and a 70-year-old driver were also part of the group in the van. Ten teams had been formed for the probe. The incident had taken place around 4.15 am on June 30, around 10 kms from Bhigwan town.
At the time of the incident, the driver had stopped the vehicle by the roadside to relieve himself. Two unidentified men approached the car. Brandishing sharp weapons, they robbed three women of her gold ornaments worth Rs 1.5 lakh. During this attack, one of the men took the girl away behind the structure of the tea stall and sexually assaulted her, threatening her with a knife. The two men had covered their faces with masks.
Investigation had revealed that the assailants blew chilli powder at the occupants of the vehicle as an irritant.
When one of the suspects was blowing the chilli powder at them, he had momentarily lowered his mask. Based on the description given by the occupants of the vehicle, a sketch of the suspect was prepared.
