The 25-year-old accused allegedly raped and murdered a 9.5-year-old girl in Maharashtra’s Pune district, Pune rural police said on Wednesday (August 19, 2026).

According to the police, the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon (August 18, 2026) in Pimpalwandi village, located in Junnar tehsil. “The accused was the deceased’s neighbour, who lured her to a sugarcane field about 1.5 km from the village under the pretext of offering her fruits. He then sexually assaulted and murdered her,” said Pune Rural SP Sandeep Singh Gill. The family reported their daughter missing around 6 p.m.

During the investigation, after inquiring about the child’s whereabouts, the police found a clue and reached the accused with whom the girl was last seen before she went missing, according to the Pune Police. The police have registered a case under relevant sections of the POCSO Act, as well as Sections 137 (2), 103 (a), 64, 65 (2), 140 (a), and 238 of the BNS.

“The suspect has confessed to the crime and took officers to the spot, where we found the dead body of the child. The girl died due to strangulation. The autopsy is done, and further investigation is under way,” added Mr. Gill. 

The incident sparked outrage in the State as the Opposition raised concerns over the state of women’s and children’s safety in the State.

NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule called the incident a “stark reminder” of the poor safety of women in the State, demanding a fast-track trial. She said, “As per several reports, the police outpost in Pimpalwandi village, where the incident took place, has been closed for the past 10 years, while illegal liquor sales have allegedly been carried out openly in the village. This reflects gross negligence.”

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar called the incident “extremely shocking and unfortunate”, directing the police to conduct a probe and ensure stringent action against the culprit.

“I spoke over the phone with SP Sandeep Singh Gill and reviewed the investigation. The suspected accused has been taken into custody by the police. I will make a special request to the Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis to conduct the trial in a fast-track court,” she said on X.