Special Correspondent
Pune : A major controversy has erupted in Pune after three Dalit girls alleged harassment, casteist abuse, and molestation by police officials at the Kothrud Police Station. The incident sparked a massive protest led by the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and the Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), with demonstrators staging an all-night sit-in outside the Pune Police Commissioner’s office on Sunday.
The three girls were brought to the Kothrud Police Station in connection with an investigation involving a woman from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. They were interrogated for over five hours in the police station’s remand room. During this time, the girls allege that police officials and others passed casteist and religious slurs, and subjected them to mental and physical harassment. They also claimed they were beaten and abused at their residence before being brought in.
The girls further alleged that after prolonged questioning, they were released around 3:00–3:30 a.m. on Sunday. According to them, even their landlord was threatened by the police for allowing them to stay in the premises.
The victims have demanded that an FIR be filed under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the involved officers and others. However, no FIR has been registered so far, prompting outrage from community leaders and civil society groups.
In response, a large crowd of supporters and political leaders gathered outside the Pune Police Commissionerate late Sunday night. The protest continued until early Monday morning, demanding immediate legal action. Prominent figures present included NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi leaders Anjali Ambedkar and Sujat Ambedkar, and NCP (Sharad Pawar group) Pune city president Prashant Jagtap.
Additional Commissioner of Police Ranjankumar Sharma and Additional CP Manoj Patil held discussions with the protestors but failed to assure any concrete action, further fueling frustration among the demonstrators.
Leaders have warned that if an FIR is not filed immediately, a larger statewide agitation will be launched. They are also considering filing complaints with the National Human Rights Commission and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
