Pune: A Korean national working with a multinational automobile company was allegedly mugged by three unidentified individuals during a morning walk on Baner Hill on Saturday. The assailants reportedly threatened and manhandled the engineer before fleeing with his high-end mobile phone, worth ₹72,000.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about public safety in Pune’s hill regions, which are popular among morning walkers and fitness enthusiasts. A case has been registered at Baner Police Station following a formal complaint by the victim.
According to police sources, the complainant, a resident of Balewadi, is employed as an engineer with a multinational firm in Talegaon Dabhade. Originally from South Korea, he resides in Pune with his colleagues. On the morning of May 17, while walking on Baner Hill, the victim was approached by three men who threatened him, physically assaulted him, and forcibly snatched his phone.
Shaken by the incident, the engineer rushed to the police station to report the crime. The case is now under active investigation, with Senior Police Inspector Chandrashekhar Sawant supervising the probe.
Last year, several similar incidents were reported from Baner Hill and nearby Hanuman Hill, sparking public outcry. In response, and after a separate incident of gang rape at Bopdev Ghat, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved funds to install CCTV cameras in the hill areas.
Work is currently underway to deploy surveillance infrastructure. Additionally, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar has directed police teams to conduct regular patrolling in and around these zones to deter criminal activity and ensure citizen safety.
