Pune: 17-year-old girl murdered by suspects in her molestation case

Pune: A 17-year-old girl was found murdered on Friday near the Aaskhed Khurd canal in Khed taluka, a few days after she and her parents had lodged a complaint of molestation by three men.

Chakan police have registered a case against the three men identified as Chandrakant Patilbuwa Kolekar, Akshay Kisan Kolekar, and Sunil Mahadev Kolekar, all residents of Thoptewadi village in Khed taluka of Pune district. The girl’s uncle (34) has filed a complaint against the trio under section 302 (Punishment for murder), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the police, the three suspects had eve-teased the girl a few days back. When the girl told about this incident to her family members, they reprimanded the suspects. A verbal spat took place between the suspects and the girl’s uncle at that time. Later, the girl’s uncle had filed a complaint against the suspects about the molestation incident as well as the argument between them. The suspects were miffed over this complaint registered at the Chakan police station.

On Friday (July 24), the suspects asked the girl to meet them. They took her to a canal near the Askhed Khurd village. After a while, they hit her on the head and face with a blunt and hard object. The girl suffered serious injuries in this attack and died on the spot. To cover up their criminal act, the suspects dumped the girl’s body in a thicket under a lemon tree near the canal.

While the girl went missing, police received a tip-off about the suspects’ role in the crime. A team from Chakan police station rushed to the spot and recovered the deceased girl’s body. Taking cognizance of the serious crime, senior police officials also visited the spot and have assured proper investigations in the matter.