Over 50 Rape and POCSO Cases Registered in Pune in Just Three Months
Pune, 8th May 2026: More than 50 cases of rape and POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) were registered in the city between January and March 2026, according to police data.
In the majority of these cases, the accused were known to the victims — often relatives, acquaintances, or close associates. During the same three-month period, 149 cases of molestation (outraging the modesty of a woman) were also recorded.
Despite charge sheets being filed in many instances, the cases remain pending before the court for trial and final verdicts are yet to come, leading to a growing perception among citizens that the accused have little to no fear of the law.
Experts attribute the rise in sexual offences to easily accessible violent and pornographic content on the internet, distorted reels on social media platforms, and widespread digital pornography. They warn that policing alone will not be sufficient to address the deepening issue of sexual perversion in society.
Over the last one week, Pune has been shaken by a series of cases involving horrific sexual assaults on minor girls. Earlier on May 1, a three-year-old girl was raped and murdered by a 65-year-old person in Nasrapur village of Bhor taluka in the district. In yet another shocking case incident, emerged from the Parvati Paytha area, a 50-year-old grandfather allegedly attempted to sexually assault his own granddaughter.
The repeated nature of such cases involving known perpetrators has sparked concern over both the safety of women and children and the effectiveness of the existing justice delivery system in delivering timely and deterrent punishment.
