2 Rape Cases in 10 Days in Lonavala; Pune Rural Police Arrest Accused
Lonavala, 31st July 2025: In a shocking development, two separate rape incidents have occurred in Pune’s Lonavala area within 10 days, leading to two arrests.
The first incident took place in Thakursai Village, where a man allegedly stalked and raped a woman. In the second case, three accused kidnapped a woman and gang-raped her inside a car.
Lonavala Rural Police arrested Balu Shirke (35, resident of Maval Taluka) in connection with the first case, while Lonavala City Police apprehended Sunil Gaikwad (35, resident of Maval), one of the three accused in the second case. Cases have been registered against all involved.
In a press conference held on Thursday, Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill stated that on 15th July, while a woman was walking alone in broad daylight around noon, a man approached her from behind, took her to nearby bushes, and raped her. Following her complaint to Lonavala Rural Police, investigations were launched jointly with the Local Crime Branch (LCB). Based on the victim’s description, Shirke was arrested and handed over to Lonavala Rural Police. He is currently in judicial custody.
Regarding the second incident, SP Gill said that on the night of 25th July, at around 9:30 PM on Tungarli Road, three men abducted a woman who was walking alone and gang-raped her. Due to the seriousness of the crime, the police acted swiftly to investigate. During her statement, the victim reportedly revealed that only one of the men raped her and that he was the one who brought her into the car. She also mentioned that this accused owns a coffee shop in the Tungarli area. Based on this information, Sunil Gaikwad was arrested by the Lonavala City Police and is now in judicial custody, according to SP Gill.
