Pune Police Break Silence on Navale Bridge Protest and Viral Lathi-Charge Claims
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 4th May 2026: Public outrage has intensified in Pune after police used a mild lathi charge to disperse protesters blocking the Pune-Bengaluru Highway near Navale Bridge. The demonstrations followed the brutal rape and murder of a three-and-a-half-year-old girl in Nasrapur village, Bhor taluka.
Today, Pune City Police issued a detailed clarification regarding the protest at Navale Bridge linked to the Nasrapur minor victim case, amid a viral video showing police lathi-charge during the agitation.
The incident occurred on May 1, when the young girl, visiting her grandmother during summer holidays, was allegedly lured by a 65-year-old labourer named Bhimrao Kamble. He took her to a cattle shed, where he sexually assaulted her before crushing her head with a stone, according to police. The accused, who has a prior criminal record including similar cases from which he was acquitted, was arrested quickly based on CCTV evidence and booked under the POCSO Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rape and murder.
News of the gruesome crime triggered widespread anger. On May 2, hundreds of citizens, including the victim’s family, blocked the busy Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway. Protesters placed the child’s body on the road and demanded the death penalty and swift justice. The blockade caused massive traffic congestion lasting several hours, affecting thousands of commuters.
In an official statement, police said they had been in continuous dialogue with the victim’s family throughout the day. By evening, the parents were reportedly exhausted and, after receiving written assurances from the administration, were willing to call off the protest.
However, a large crowd gathered at Navale Bridge, and some individuals allegedly refused to disperse despite repeated assurances from authorities, the statement said. Police added that after securing the family’s consent, they were safely escorted to their vehicle and later proceeded under police protection to Vaikunth crematorium along with the ambulance carrying the deceased for the final rites.
Addressing allegations of force, police clarified that only “mild force” was used to disperse protesters who remained adamant, and to clear the road of unnecessary crowding. Navale Bridge, a crucial stretch on the Mumbai–Bengaluru National Highway, remained blocked for over four hours, leading to a traffic jam stretching beyond 15 kilometres.
The blockade caused significant inconvenience to thousands of commuters, including women, children, and even ambulances, the police said.
Officials maintained that the situation was handled with restraint, discipline, and caution. They further assured that the investigation into the Nasrapur case is being conducted with utmost sensitivity (by Pune rural police) and that all efforts are being made to ensure strict punishment for the accused at the earliest.
Police also emphasised that the victim’s family has been kept informed and involved throughout the process, reiterating their commitment to delivering justice.
