Bopdev Ghat Gang Rape Case: Pune Crime Branch Takes Over Investigation; Search Continues for Two Suspects
Pune, 14th October 2024: The investigation into the Bopdev Ghat gang rape case has been officially transferred to the Crime Branch. Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar ordered the handover as the search intensifies for the two remaining suspects.
One accused, identified as Chandrakumar Raviprasad Kanojia (20), a resident of Dindori, Madhya Pradesh, was arrested on Friday, October 11. Kanojia and his two accomplices have been charged with gang rape and robbery.
According to police, the three suspects, who traveled from Madhya Pradesh to Pune with the intent of theft, were under the influence of alcohol on the night of the crime, which took place on Thursday, October 3, around 10 p.m. at Bopdev Ghat. The accused allegedly attacked a young man with bamboo before threatening and sexually assaulting a young woman using a machete (Koyta). After committing the crime, the trio fled the scene on a two-wheeler.
The suspects evaded capture by taking internal roads to avoid police detection, traveling 80 kilometers to cover what would have been a 20-kilometer journey on the main road. Their movements were captured on CCTV footage at a petrol pump in the Saswad area, and they were also seen consuming alcohol at a liquor shop in the same vicinity.
Given the seriousness of the crime, the case has been transferred to the Crime Branch for further investigation. Police have yet to obtain significant information from Kanojia, who is currently in custody, about the whereabouts of his accomplices. The search for the remaining suspects is ongoing.
