Pune Police Defend Action in Hostel Raid as Opposition Questions Handling of Case

Amid growing protests and demands for registering a case under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against police personnel accused of harassing three women during a hostel raid in Kothrud, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar on Monday dismissed the allegations as “baseless and uncorroborated.”

“The police officers and constables did not falter in their duty. A woman’s missing complaint is treated with utmost seriousness and investigated like a murder case. All the allegations are unfounded,” Kumar said.

Chief Minister Backs Police, Opposition Demands FIR

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis backed the police, stating,

“The police have provided a detailed explanation. They should not come under pressure and must act as per the law.”

However, opposition leaders, including VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, and Congress state president Harshawardhan Sapkal, criticized the police handling of the case and demanded an FIR under the Atrocities Act. Protesters, including political workers, staged a sit-in near the Pune Police Commissioner’s office from Sunday evening till early Monday, pressing for action against the accused personnel.

How the Incident Unfolded

On August 1, a Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar police team, assisted by Kothrud police, visited a private hostel in Kothrud while tracing a 23-year-old missing woman who had been untraceable since July 19. She was reportedly in touch with two students and a working woman staying at the hostel.

During the inquiry, the three women alleged they were harassed, manhandled, and forcibly taken to Kothrud police station. Questions were raised over why they were brought to the station instead of being questioned on the spot.

Commissioner Kumar defended the action, stating:
“The three women did not cooperate. As a result, they were taken to the police station for questioning. Examination of their phones helped trace the missing woman to a shelter home in Mundhwa. They were neither beaten nor abused.”

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Police Commissioner Pravin Pawar also clarified:

“Our teams followed all legal protocols, including making station diary entries and seeking local police assistance. No misconduct occurred.”

Tracing the Missing Woman

The case began when a Satara area police station in Sambhajinagar received a complaint on July 19 from a man whose wife had gone missing after leaving home to collect her college transfer certificate. Initial searches in Yerawada and Vishrantwadi (Pune) proved unsuccessful.

Following new leads, the crime branch tracked her contacts and visited her acquaintances in Kharadi and later at the Kothrud hostel, where they learned she had moved to a shelter home in Mundhwa.

Shelter home in-charge Savita Bhore confirmed her identity and handed her over to the police. The woman stated she did not wish to return to her marital home due to harassment by her in-laws. Her statement and those of her in-laws were recorded before police returned to Sambhajinagar with her family.

Protests Continue Despite Police Clarification

Pune police issued a written statement to protestors around 3 am on Monday, stating:
“We verified all harassment claims and found them misleading and fabricated. No offence is made out against the police personnel.”

Despite this, MLA Rohit Pawar questioned the police’s refusal to file an FIR and alleged political pressure. Prakash Ambedkar announced plans to challenge the matter in court, while Congress chief Sapkal demanded strict action, accusing police of casteist behaviour.

Current Status

The missing woman has been safely traced, and police maintain that due procedure was followed during the investigation. However, protests and political backlash continue, keeping the issue under sharp public and legal scrutiny.