Two Minor Girls from Baramati Kidnapped and Assaulted; Pune Rural Police Arrest Three

Baramati, 19th September 2024: In Baramati, two minor girls were kidnapped. While the investigation was ongoing, it was revealed that these girls were forcefully made to drink alcohol, gang-raped, and threatened. Pune Rural Police have arrested three individuals in connection with this case. Their accomplices are being searched, as revealed by Deputy Superintendent of Police Dr Sudarshan Rathod.

The Baramati Taluka Police have arrested Dnyaneshwar Bharat Atole (age 27), Yash, aka Sonya Shivaji Atole (age 21), both residents of Sawal, Baramati, and Pramod Bengare (age 20, resident of Rui, Baramati). The court has ordered that the accused be held in police custody for two days.

According to police, a complaint was filed at the Baramati Taluka Police Station regarding the disappearance of the two schoolgirls from the Baramati area on 14th September. Following this, the police registered a case and initiated an investigation under the guidance of SP Dr. Pankaj Deshmukh and DySP Dr. Rathod. The girls had traveled to Pune via a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus and contacted Dnyaneshwar Atole. He informed two friends from the Hadapsar area about the girls’ arrival, telling them they would be in Hadapsar. Atole then followed the girls to Hadapsar, where they were taken to a friend’s room. The accused threatened the girls and forced them to drink alcohol before subjecting them to gang rape.

One of the girls managed to contact her mother and inform her of the incident. This led to the Baramati Taluka Police being notified. Baramati Police reached out to the Hadapsar Police in Pune. A team from Baramati Taluka Police arrived in Hadapsar, successfully rescuing the girls. After the girls were brought back to Baramati, they were taken in confidence by female police officers who provided them with support and encouragement. Counselling revealed the extent of the abuse they had suffered.

Following this, the police arrested Dnyaneshwar Atole, Aniket Bengare, and Sonya Atole, who were known to the girls. A case has been registered under the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act of 2012. Authorities urge citizens to seek police assistance in sensitive cases.

DySP Dr. Sudarshan Rathod has appealed to parents and teachers to report any incidents of abuse involving minor girls immediately.

Pune Rural SP Dr. Pankaj Deshmukh stated, “A thorough investigation into the case of kidnapping and torture of the minor girls is ongoing. Three individuals have been arrested, and the search for their accomplices is going on.”