Pune: Three Men Gangrape Woman, Assault Boyfriend; Probe Launched

A 21-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped by three men on the outskirts of Pune, while her male companion was assaulted, according to police reports cited by PTI on Friday. The incident reportedly occurred in the Bopdev Ghat area around 11 p.m. on Thursday.

Kondhwa police revealed that the woman had gone to the location with a male friend. "As per preliminary details, the woman and her male friend had gone to the Bopdev Ghat area on Thursday late night, where three unknown individuals allegedly raped her," said a senior Pune Police official.

The official also mentioned that 10 police teams have been deployed to track down the suspects. Another officer from Kondhwa police station added that the incident took place in a remote area, and the trio assaulted the woman's male friend as well.

In a separate incident, police arrested a 45-year-old school van driver for allegedly sexually assaulting two six-year-old girls in Pune.

The incident took place on September 30, while the girls were on their way home from school in the Wanwadi area. Authorities are investigating whether a woman attendant was present in the van at the time.

"The accused allegedly touched the private parts of both girls. One of the girls later told her mother, who then reported the matter to the police," said an official from Wanwadi police station.

A complaint was lodged on Wednesday, and the driver, Sanjay Reddy, was arrested and charged under sections 64 (punishment for rape) and 65 (2) (punishment for rape of a girl under twelve) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Reddy was remanded in police custody until October 8, as per a court order. Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, addressing reporters in Nagpur, promised stringent action in the case, confirming that appropriate sections under the BNS and POCSO had been applied.

Fadnavis added, "The school authorities have been called for an inquiry, and it will be examined if they were also at fault."